Definition

The condition of being messy or untidy in appearance or habits.

Example

His slovenliness was evident in the cluttered room and wrinkled clothes.

Conversation

Have you noticed how much slovenliness there is in your room lately?

Yeah, I really need to clean it up, it’s gotten out of hand.

It’s easy to let slovenliness take over when you're busy with school.

Totally, but I’ll make time this weekend to tidy up.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Slovenliness is formed from "sloven" (from Middle English *sloven*, meaning a careless or untidy person) and the suffix "-liness" (meaning the quality of being). The word describes the quality of being careless or untidy, characteristic of a sloven.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'sloven' as someone who is untidy, and '-liness' refers to the quality of that state. This helps you remember that 'slovenliness' means the quality of being untidy.

Visually Confused Words