Jumbled

Describing something that is mixed up in a confused or disordered way. It implies a lack of organization, clarity, and sometimes meaning. This can apply to physical objects, thoughts, language, or any system where elements are out of sequence or difficult to understand. The state of being jumbled suggests a disruption of the expected order, leading to a sense of chaos or incoherence. It often highlights a need for sorting, clarification, or restructuring to restore coherence and purpose. The effect can be visually disorienting, mentally perplexing, or emotionally unsettling depending on the context in which it's found.

Jumbled meaning with examples

• The antique shop held a jumbled assortment of items. Old furniture, porcelain dolls and faded paintings were all crammed together with no apparent order or theme, making it challenging to find any specific item. Customers had to sift through this jumbled mess to find something of value. The cluttered appearance made it difficult to take everything in, but for some, this was part of the fun.
• Her thoughts after the car accident were jumbled and confused. She could remember flashes of the impact, but the sequence was unclear, and details merged together. She had trouble processing information, making it difficult for her to understand the doctors instructions. Recounting the events felt difficult, and she could only express the ordeal in fragments as the experience remained jumbled in her mind.
• The manuscript arrived with jumbled pages and missing chapters. The editor sighed at the disorder, knowing the rewrite would involve a tremendous amount of work. The original author had clearly failed to organize his materials effectively before sending his book. This chaos made it nearly impossible to follow the story's progression. With much effort, this literary jigsaw puzzle could eventually be rearranged to make sense.
• The radio signal was jumbled by static interference, creating a garbled broadcast. Only fragments of words could be understood due to the noise, so most of the message was lost. The lack of clarity prevented listeners from forming a picture about the situation, forcing them to speculate about what was going on. The signal's distorted nature prevented effective communication because the connection was so broken.
• During the game, the team's strategy became jumbled. Each player played a different role with no coordination or plan. This disorganization led to turnovers and missed opportunities on the field. Without direction or a unified plan, the opposing team gained an advantage. Coaches quickly addressed the disarray to attempt to rescue the match, but the game was soon lost.