messed (up)

verb

past tense of mess (up)
1
as in fumbled
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 disrupted
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 stumbled
to make a mistake if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again

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4
as in licked
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 messed (up)
  1. fumbled
  2. disrupted
  3. stumbled
  4. licked
  5. blew
  6. confused
  7. tripped
  8. pounded
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 fumbled
Verb
  • Almost every country had reduced access to vaccines during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply chains and clinic access were severely disrupted.
    — Kathryn H. Jacobsen, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Some of those domestic brands have also disrupted the broader industry, reset innovation cycles and launched price wars.
    — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of disrupted
Verb
  • Then Sánchez’s eyes drifted up, his feet stumbled to a stop, and the ball bounced feet away from him on the turf.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The 40-year-old woman stumbled, sustaining an injury, police said.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of stumbled
Verb
  • Tuxedo kitten Paolina bounced onto my chest and licked my fingers.
    — Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Her entire face got licked clean off her head when suburban floodwaters breached the cardboard hull protecting Kath’s basement memorabilia stack a few months before I was born.
    — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of licked
Verb
  • Detectives relied on confidential informants to bust the operation – an informant who purchased drugs from Robinson blew the operation open.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Now the researchers are tracking the different types of plastic, some of which sank to the bottom of the 62-acre lake and others that eventually blew or washed ashore.
    — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of blew
Verb
  • This reserve should not be confused with a permanent investment strategy.
    — Steve Booren, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026
  • River otters are not to be confused with sea otters, which live in the ocean, bays and harbors and can grow to be up to five feet and 100 pounds.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of confused
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
  • His starting wide receivers both blew their knees out before week five and his starting quarterback tripped on his kid's skateboard and dislocated his elbow.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of tripped
Verb
  • Communities still recovering from last weekend’s hurricane in Hawaii could get pounded again in coming days from another tropical system gaining strength over warm Pacific waters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Tommy pounded away behind the kit, which rose roughly 12 feet into the air.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of pounded
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

messed over
messed (up)
messed (with)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Messed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messed%20%28up%29. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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