1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
I can never find anything in this untidy office
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2
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
neighbors gossiped about the woman's rumpled and untidy children
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Recent Examples of untidy
In a growing number of schools, days are marked by strict routines and detentions for minor infractions, like forgetting a pencil case or having an untidy uniform.
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Emma Bubola, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024
By David Culver, Tara John and Abel Alvarado | CNN
With its four-piece bathroom suite, queen-size bed and mini fridge, the untidy prison cell of the notorious leader of the Los Choneros gang, José Adolfo Macías, could have been in a hotel instead of one of Ecuador’s largest prison complexes.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024
Kelley’s favorite plant doesn’t look like much, just your standard untidy grass.
—Joann C Gutin, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Not only can this make our homes look untidy, but said dust, dirt, and pet hair can also exacerbate allergies.
—Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for untidy 
Emma Bubola, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024
By David Culver, Tara John and Abel Alvarado | CNN
With its four-piece bathroom suite, queen-size bed and mini fridge, the untidy prison cell of the notorious leader of the Los Choneros gang, José Adolfo Macías, could have been in a hotel instead of one of Ecuador’s largest prison complexes.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024
Kelley’s favorite plant doesn’t look like much, just your standard untidy grass.
—Joann C Gutin, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Not only can this make our homes look untidy, but said dust, dirt, and pet hair can also exacerbate allergies.
—Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for untidy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untidy
Adjective
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As someone who’s trying to clear out space on their bar cart, having a ton of bottles to make one drink isn’t fun and can also just be messy.Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
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In recent years, former top officials in NASA’s human-spaceflight program have taken jobs at SpaceX. In the meantime, though, more SpaceX flights—and more power for Musk—could be messy, or even dangerous.Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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That’s one of the lessons these Rams, especially the younger ones, can take away from this sloppy experience.Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
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In a sloppy game that included 21 penalties between the teams, the Bears got in the end zone just once — their only offensive touchdown of the first two weeks.Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The chaotic summer of George Floyd protests, violent crime, and COVID-19 lockdowns are increasingly associated with the Left, even if Trump was president at the time.W. James Antle III, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Nov. 2024
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Having studied the chaotic aftermath of the 2020 election, both were now eying plans to disrupt each of the procedural steps between Election Day and the Inauguration, such as the December 11th deadline for each state to ascertain a winner, and the December 17th meeting of each state’s electors.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024
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But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.Ed Wallace, New York Daily News, 6 June 2024
Adjective
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Sofia’s haircut is an early sign of her rebellion; a shaggy mullet that calls back to Jane Fonda in the 1970s thriller Klute.Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
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Style insiders are going all in on the look, too; fashion month’s crowds were awash in brushed knits, and New Yorkers of all stripes have pulled out their shaggiest jumpers as sweater weather has descended upon the city.Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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While some people feel like their vote won't make a difference, many others are simply exhausted—and in some cases alienated or confused—by our political environment.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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That left a lot of Swifties sad, confused and wandering around, trying to find the bracelet sent from New Orleans.Arika Herron, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Corruption within the organization, after all, is as much a part of the show as Jackson Lamb’s slovenly habits and horrible diet.Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
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To them, flame is slovenly, backward, even atavistic, tolerable only when used for ceremonial purposes.Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
Adjective
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These dogs often come from cramped, filthy mills, without sufficient veterinary care, food, water or socialization.Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
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The O’Haras happen to move in next door to him. Frothy and often filthy without being brainless (send thanks across the Atlantic for that good British dialogue), this is escapism done right.Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Untidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untidy. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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