Dictionary

unruly en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ʌnˈɹuːli/

Etymology

From Middle English unruly (“unquiet, restless”), equivalent to un- + rule + -ly (compare Middle English ruly, reuli (“subject to a religious rule, regular”)), but also representing a modified continuation of earlier Middle English unrouly, unroly (“unquiet, restless”), equivalent to un- + roolie. The latter is perhaps from or influenced by Old Norse *úróligr, related to Danish urolig (“restless”), Swedish orolig (“restless”), Icelandic órólegur (“agitated”). Compare also Middle English unroo, unro (“unrest”). More at roo.

Meanings

1. Wild; uncontrolled.
   • The police gathered to contain the unruly mob.
   • Unruly boys who will not grow up / Must be taken in hand / Unruly girls who will not settle down / They must be taken in hand 1985, Morrissey & Johnny Marr, “Barbarism Begins at Home”, in Meat Is Murder, performed by The Smiths:
   • Richard DeLongpre: Are you okay, my boy angel? Allen Gregory DeLongpre: I have a broken heart. And undergarments filled with my own unruly waste. 2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1)
   • The bar had two entrances, one on Barrow and another via Bedford, and “86” referred to the address of the door from which intoxicated or unruly guests would be ejected. 2025 May 16, Edward Helmore, “What does ‘8647’ really mean? Not what Trump’s supporters are saying”, in The Guardian:

Forms

Deriveds

unrulily · unruliness · unruliment

Translations (57)

uk бунтівни́й (wild) · fr indiscipliné (wild) · bg недисциплиниран (wild) · mk непо́корен (wild) · bg непокорен (wild) · fa سرکش (wild) · ar خارج عن السيطرَة (wild) · ga dosmachtaithe (wild) · pt descontrolado (wild) · ga ainrianta (wild) · ga amhsach (wild) · ga oilbhéasach (wild) · de wild (wild) · cs nezvladatelný (wild) · ro nesupus (wild) · uk неслухня́ний (wild) · uk бу́йний (wild) · pt desgovernado (wild) · fr désobéissant (wild) · uk непокі́рний (wild) · ota آزغین (wild) · ga místiúrtha (wild) · ru неконтроли́руемый (wild) · de aufsässig (wild) · ar مُتَوَحِّش (wild) · pl niesforny (wild) · ga mírialta (wild) · cs vzpurný (wild) · mk непо́слушен (wild) · ga doriartha (wild) · ga feillbhéasach (wild) · de unbändig (wild) · pl nieposłuszny (wild) · cs neukázněný (wild) · es revoltoso (wild) · es incontrolable (wild) · got 𐌿𐌽𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌰𐍃𐍃 (wild) · cs nepoddajný (wild) · ga dochoiscthe (wild) · es descontrolado (wild) · cs divoký (wild) · ru непослу́шный (wild) · ga aimhleasta (wild) · hy սանձարձակ (wild) · fr incontrôlable (wild) · ro neascultător (wild) · fa نافرمان (wild) · de undiszipliniert (wild) · ga míréireach (wild) · uk неконтрольо́ваний (wild) · de widerspenstig (wild) · got 𐌿𐌽𐍄𐌰𐌻𐍃 (wild) · fi kuriton (wild) · mk бу́ен (wild) · ga díchoiscthe (wild) · mk бу́нтовен (wild) · es díscolo (wild)