TOUSLED Synonyms: 167 Similar and Opposite Words

tousled 1 of 2

adjective

as in messy

lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness a tousled pile of yarn and material scraps at the bottom of her craft box

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tousled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of tousle

as in disrupted

to undo the proper order or arrangement of his grandfather would always tousle the boy's neatly combed hair

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of tousled

Adjective

His long, tousled hair, stubble, withering gaze, and ever-present cigarette gave him an air of punk-rock danger. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 Embodying the punk-rock vibes Vivienne Westwood’s brand was founded on, Lyonne was done up with graphic black smoky eyes, while her red hair was tousled and voluminous. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026 Wild And Free Shag Lots of layers, short bangs, and a tousled style make this a shag Joan Jett would approve of. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026 With her hair cut into a tousled lob and a pair of oval sunglasses perched on her face, her take felt a little more relaxed. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026 To pull off this look, regardless of the cut, straighten the roots perfectly and, from midlengths to ends, go for unstructured waves or a tousled effect. — María Diez, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2026 The star wore dark eye makeup and her hair had been styled into loose, tousled waves. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026 Completed with a wide lace choker and tousled hair, the romantic dress was also the first glimpse into Versace’s next chapter. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026 Sea salt gives hair that tousled texture, while red microalgae extract helps counteract the drying effects of salt. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

Remember to break up the curls with your fingers to give your hair that tousled look, and finish with plenty of hairspray. — María Diez, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2026 Anderson was spotted with her platinum bob tousled and tangled at the Tory Burch fall 2026 ready-to-wear show during New York Fashion Week in February, too. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 After rejoining the platform on January 1, 2025, Meghan wished Harry a happy birthday last September 15 by sharing a throwback photo of Harry in uniform, his hair tousled. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 15 Sep. 2026 Son’s hair got tousled and nobody wearing black and gold could stop smiling. — Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026 They were also joined in the auditorium by Boris Kudrin, who plays their teenage son Seryozha — at one point Mazurov tousled Kudrin’s hair. — Brent Lang, Variety, 19 May 2026 His hair is frosted at the tips, carefully tousled; his eyes are alert, amused, ever-probing. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026 Her signature copper red hair, styled by Halley Brisker, was worn softly tousled down her back. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026 Kardashian, 45, showed off a pair of ice-blue contact lenses and wore her chocolate brown hair tousled across her shoulders. — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousled

Adjective

In art, as in life, the messy materiality of flesh fazes me not one whit.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
View gallery - 4 images For all the extraordinary things that consumer 3D printers can produce, changing color has remained a surprisingly messy business.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of messy

Verb

When those signals are blocked, disrupted or deliberately jammed, vehicles may need other methods to maintain reliable navigation.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
While the restorations are only to the marble surface of the building, the meticulous nature of the job would have disrupted all aspects of the Plaza experience for would-be guests.

— Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of disrupted

Adjective

Week 7 of the 2026 college football season will go down as one of the most chaotic ever, with five Top 10 teams suffering losses, and the newest AP Top 25 Poll reflects the craziness that unfolded.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
While the weather painted a chaotic picture, stories from Malibu residents were of neighbors coming together as a community in a way only the specter of disaster could prompt.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of chaotic

Adjective

In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.

— Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.

— Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025

Definition of littered

Verb

As one of the most effective natural sinks for carbon, peatlands could accelerate climate change if disturbed.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
She was especially disturbed by the emotional vulnerability that someone could exploit when a person believes a relationship is genuine.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbed

Adjective

Two innings later, the Dodgers took the lead again, rewarded for hard contact as the Brewers’ defense showed its first signs of sloppy play.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
The pair seemed prepared and methodical—not sloppy carousers but people with a plan.

— Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of sloppy

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“Tousled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tousled

adjective

verb

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