What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
messily
Example
She painted the room messily, leaving drips and smudges everywhere. [messily: adverb]
Example
He ate his food messily, getting sauce all over his face. [messily: adverb]
disorderly
Example
The party became disorderly after midnight, with people shouting and breaking things. [disorderly: adjective]
Example
The protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct. [disorderly: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Messily is more commonly used in everyday language than disorderly, which is often reserved for more formal or legal contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between messily and disorderly?
Disorderly is a more formal word than messily and is often used in legal or official contexts, while messily is more casual and informal in tone.
