mess (up)

verb

Definition of mess (up)next
1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way messed up the drawing and had to start over

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stumble
to make a mistake if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess (up)
  1. fumble
  2. disrupt
  3. stumble
  4. lick
  5. blow
  6. confuse
  7. trip
  8. hide
Verb
  • Lake Brantley appeared to have picked up the first down on third down but the ball was fumbled backwards to put the Patriots in fourth and long.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After Carter Jensen flew out to deep center field, Caglianone tagged from second base and kept running toward home as outfielder Andy Pages fumbled the baseball out of his glove.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • Farage did not give a victory speech after declining to attend the declaration, claiming police had warned of a campaign to disrupt it.
    — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Costs had been on the decline since March 2025, following a massive outbreak of bird flu that disrupted the egg supply and sent retail prices soaring.
    — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • Vulcan has stumbled due to ongoing problems with the performance of its solid rocket boosters, which are provided by Northrop Grumman.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Nothing that would actually stop a person, a child, a wheelchair or a stumbling drunk from going straight into the water.
    — Joseph V. Sakran, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.
    — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Griffin diligently washes his hands after his dogs lick them, especially before picking up a slice of pizza.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • California is attempting to build the nation's first bullet train, a project that's ballooned in cost and has blown through deadline after deadline for more than a decade.
    — Julie Watts, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The technology adapts the physics of Helmholtz resonance, which is the physical phenomenon behind the hum produced by blowing across a bottle neck.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • This reserve should not be confused with a permanent investment strategy.
    — Steve Booren, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The light entering my eyes would bend at two different angles, confusing my brain and making my vision a little blurry.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • The bear scratched his arm, and the victim tripped and injured his foot while trying to escape, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • How quickly the brain and body react after tripping — with your foot automatically thrusting forward, for example, to prevent yourself from face-planting — is what plyometrics trains for.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of trip
Verb
  • His brother was stuffing bricks of cash in multiple places and would even wrap the money in plastic before hiding it in spaghetti sauce jars.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Paul Robinson is accused of hiding a safe containing drugs and cash.
    — Jennifer Borrasso, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of hide
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

mess over
mess (up)
mess (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Mess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20%28up%29. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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