"Bedraggled" vs. "unkempt": distinguishing the delightfully disheveled

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 09/10/2024, 13:41

English.me team member

Bedraggled and unkempt. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both words describe a state of disorder or untidiness, often related to appearance.

What is different?

Bedraggled implies being wet and dirty, often as a result of being in the rain or mud, while unkempt suggests general untidiness or lack of grooming without implying wetness.

Which one is more common?

Examples of usage

Bedraggled

After walking through the rain, she arrived home bedraggled and cold.
The cat looked bedraggled after being caught in the storm.

Unkempt

He appeared at the meeting in an unkempt suit, having forgotten to iron it.
Her hair was unkempt, suggesting she had just woken up.