disorder
disorder — noun
1. a condition where items are not placed neatly where they should be and are inste
a condition where items are not placed neatly where they should be and are instead scattered around in a messy, unorganised way.
Caleb’s desk was in complete disorder, with papers and books piled everywhere.
collocation: in complete disorder
The earthquake left the library in disorder, with books spread across the floor.
fixed expression: in a state of disorder
Rania could not find her keys in all the disorder on the kitchen table.
The living room was in such disorder after the party that cleaning took an hour.
- mess
more informal and everyday; 'mess' applies to smaller-scale untidiness while 'disorder' often implies a wider area or more severe lack of order.
- chaos
stronger; suggests complete confusion with little hope of quick organisation, whereas 'disorder' can be mild.
- disarray
more formal; often describes a situation that was previously organised but has fallen into confusion.
文法句型
in + disorder
in a state of + disorder
用法筆記
Unlike the everyday word 'mess', 'disorder' suggests a more noticeable or extreme lack of order. The phrase 'in disorder' is a common fixed expression in both formal and neutral English.
常見錯誤
2. a medical problem that stops a person’s body or mind from functioning in the usu
a medical problem that stops a person’s body or mind from functioning in the usual healthy way, often needing professional care or support.
Dr. Okafor diagnosed the patient with a rare blood disorder that affects the immune system.
medical collocation: diagnosed with + [type] disorder
Jisoo has been receiving treatment for an anxiety disorder since last year.
common compound: anxiety disorder
Scientists are researching new ways to treat sleep disorders without using strong medication.
Many people with skin disorders find that certain foods make their condition worse.
- disease
stronger and more specific; implies a known pathological cause, while 'disorder' can be broader and less defined.
- condition
more neutral and broader; applies to any state of health without specifying severity.
- illness
less technical; covers any period of being unwell, while 'disorder' is more clinical and specific.
- health
the state of normal body and mind function without medical problems.
文法句型
[adjective] + disorder
diagnosed with + [a] + disorder
suffer from + [a] + disorder
用法筆記
Frequently combined with a preceding adjective that specifies the type (e.g. 'anxiety disorder', 'eating disorder', 'sleep disorder', 'blood disorder'). In medical writing, 'disorder' is often preferred over 'disease' when the cause is not fully understood or when the condition describes a pattern of symptoms rather than a clearly defined pathology.
常見錯誤
3. a public situation in which crowds of people act angrily or violently, often bec
a public situation in which crowds of people act angrily or violently, often because they disagree with a government, a law, or some other authority, causing a disturbance to public peace.
The government declared a state of emergency after days of public disorder in the capital.
collocation: public disorder
Police were called to quell disorder that broke out after the vote results came in.
verb collocation: disorder broke out
Tendai was caught in the disorder on his way home and sheltered inside a café.
The new tax law led to widespread disorder across several cities.
- riots
stronger; specifically implies violent, destructive crowd behaviour with damage to property.
- unrest
broader; can describe simmering tension that has not yet turned openly violent.
- disturbance
slightly milder; can apply to smaller-scale incidents of public disruption.
文法句型
public + disorder
civil + disorder
disorder + break out
用法筆記
Typically uncountable when referring to the general concept of civil unrest ('public disorder', 'civil disorder'). Can be countable when referring to specific incidents ('several disorders were reported during the protest'). In news reporting, 'riots' is stronger and implies more violence, while 'disorder' covers a wider range of disruptive behaviour.
常見錯誤
disorder — verb
1. to make a space, system, or set of things messy or confused by moving items away
to make a space, system, or set of things messy or confused by moving items away from where they should be or by interrupting the normal way they are arranged.
Sahil deliberately disordered the files so that no one could find anything.
adverb + verb: deliberately disordered
The strong wind disordered the neatly arranged notes on the balcony table.
Please do not disorder the display shelves — customers expect items in the right places.
A gust of wind disordered the papers Justin had just sorted for his presentation.
- disorganise
more common in everyday use; focuses on breaking a planned system rather than physical arrangement.
- disturb
broader; can mean moving things slightly without implying full disarrangement.
- jumble
more informal; suggests mixing things together randomly so they lose their original order.
文法句型
disorder + noun phrase
用法筆記
This verb is less common than the noun form in everyday English. For ordinary situations, 'mess up', 'disorganise', or 'disturb' are more frequently used. The verb 'disorder' appears most often in formal or literary writing.