# unruly

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ʌnˈɹuːli/ · frequency rank #26,294

## Definitions
1. Wild; uncontrolled.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **unholy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unholy-vs-unruly)
- **unduly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unduly-vs-unruly)

## Common misspellings (9)
`nuruly`, `unnruly`, `unrluy`, `unrruly`, `unrully`, `unrulyy`, `unruyl`, `unurly`, `urnuly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/unruly