MESSING (UP) Synonyms: 243 Similar and Opposite Words

messing (up)

verb

present participle of mess (up)

as in fumbling

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way messed up the drawing and had to start over

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as in disrupting

to undo the proper order or arrangement of a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight

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as in stumbling

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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as in licking

to strike repeatedly threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for messing (up)

Verb

Most of the world was fumbling and scared, and Fauci seemed to have some idea of what to do.

— Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
Achane, the Miami Dolphins’ starting tailback, was referring to Ollie Gordon II fumbling the ball away in Wednesday practice, the team’s first of training camp.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026

Definition of fumbling

Verb

The strategically vital strait has been effectively closed by Iran since fighting began in late February, disrupting a major route for global oil shipments.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Tellis said these private companies would likely be better at surveillance than actually disrupting criminal enterprises.

— Henry Larson, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of disrupting

Verb

Such a contrast to the wonderful Bootham Crescent, York’s home until 2020 and within stumbling distance of not only the famous Minster but all the city’s many other attractions.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
The most underachieving team on the Los Angeles sports landscape is embarrassingly stumbling through another season.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

Definition of stumbling

Verb

Dubiously sourced accounts followed of Australians who died after drinking toad tea and a man supposedly being imprisoned in South America on toad-licking charges.

— Kimon de Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026
There’s truly nothing like licking that paper lid, then shoveling that tiny tongue depressor into a child-sized serving of vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

— Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of licking

Verb

City leaders have accused Lineage, whose warehouse in Boyle Heights was destroyed by fire, of blowing past the city’s 45-day deadline for removing millions of pounds of rotting food from its property.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Inequality has accelerated at an ever-growing pace, blowing past that of any previous eras, including the Gilded Age.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of blowing

Verb

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
Bringing in extra mythology wouldn’t make the confusing parts any less confusing, and would just confuse the parts that aren’t confusing at all.

— Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of confusing

Verb

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
The plumbing was failing, the floors were uneven and posed tripping hazards, the foundation was crumbling and sewage sometimes backed up into a corner of the kitchen.

— Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of tripping

Verb

Then, in the meditation hall, our cheery host suddenly turned serious and began pounding on a 350-year-old drum from a samurai castle used for marking the beginning of chores.

— Pico Iyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
Lala is no longer a hurricane, but the tropical storm is drenching Hawaii with sideways rain, hurricane-force gusts and pounding surf, flooding rivers and triggering mudslides.

— Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of pounding

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messing over

messing (up)

messing (with)

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Style

“Messing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messing%20%28up%29. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of messing (up)

verb

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