Meanings
comparative more topsy-turvily · superlative most topsy-turvily
- In a topsy-turvy manner, chaotically.
While groping her way about, Eve barked her shins against pieces of furniture that seemed to be lying topsy-turvily about.
1940, Emma Orczy, chapter 14, in Mam’zelle Guillotine, London: Hodder & Stoughton1 more example
You frighten me a little by the order that is all through you. Even your sins appear to have unity, whereas I keep house topsy-turvily in my innermost being.
1920, Mabel Wood Martin, chapter 7, in The Green God’s Pavilion, New York: Frederick A. Stokes, page 92
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbin disorderly haste
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
German auf den Kopf gestellt, unordentlich
- auf den Kopf gestelltin a topsy-turvy manner
- unordentlichdisorderly, chaotically
- chaotischdisorderly, chaotically
Spanish desordenadamente
- desordenadamentedisorderly, chaotically
Cite this entry
topsy-turvily. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/topsy-turvily
“topsy-turvily.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/topsy-turvily. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “topsy-turvily,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/topsy-turvily.
Source: topsy-turvily on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.