tousled

[ tou-zuhld ]

adjective

1. disordered or disheveled:

   tousled hair; tousled clothes.

   Synonyms: untidy, tangled, messy

Word History and Origins

Origin of tousled¹

First recorded in 1840–50; tousle + -ed ²

Example Sentences

He had been famous since he was a teenager and a sex symbol for just as long, a tousled Californian with a movie star smile.

From Salon

She hadn’t brought it along to brush his tousled curls.

From Literature

Mr. Brown’s tousled hair and gravelly voice have spoken to working-class voters since he was elected Ohio’s secretary of state in 1982.

From New York Times

The 1920s had found a superstar, who with her tousled hair, leather jacket, scarf and khakis, buoyed the world through the Depression.

From Los Angeles Times

Both the royal and the presidential couples appeared to struggle with a strong wind, which tousled Macron’s hair and forced Camilla to hold on tightly to her pink, beret-style hat.

From Washington Times