messy

adjective

ˈme-sē How to pronounce messy (audio)
Definition of messynext
as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness having a messy room is virtually de rigueur for a college student

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of messy More than a few people believe that, despite the messy route to get there, Penn State landed on the right guy. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026 Give these time to warm up so the mochi softens and the ice cream isn’t rock hard and you’ll be rewarded with a creamy, chewy, messy treat. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026 That meant studying just as hard for the test, but embracing messier answers. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026 With Curtain Bangs Ella Purnell’s messy bob with curtain bangs is a wash-and-go style that looks gorgeous when air-dried. — Omenaa Boakye, InStyle, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for messy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messy
  1. chaotic
  2. sloppy
  3. cluttered
  4. confused
  5. littered
  6. jumbled
  7. filthy
Adjective
  • More has been learned about the chaotic moments leading up to Friday's violent disruption at a Midtown synagogue.
    — Allen Devlin, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In the five years since the chaotic US withdrawal from Kabul and the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has become home to one of the world’s worst human rights and humanitarian emergencies.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of chaotic
Adjective
  • On the previous drive, the Falcons’ starting offense went three-and-out — in sloppy, uninspiring fashion.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • First off, always practice perfect form with a lighter weight rather than compensate with sloppy form and a heavier weight.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • Her workspace is cheerfully cluttered with Yankees memorabilia—pretty much what a twelve-year-old might fantasize a Yankees executive’s office to look like.
    — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Stackable bins or baskets keep smaller products grouped and prevent open shelves from looking cluttered.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of cluttered
Adjective
  • The agent sitting next to him on the plane also seemed confused.
    — Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The Citi Field crowd seemed both confused and enthused when the opening notes of Jackson’s 1982 hit began to play.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of confused
Adjective
  • In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.
    — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.
    — Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of littered
Adjective
  • Imagine a termite carving a path like a jumbled ball of string through a tree trunk, instead of an axe cleaving a single vector.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2026
  • This jumbled, makeshift archive reassured her about her own perceptions.
    — Fern Schumer Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of jumbled
Adjective
  • The game starts with a flashback 30 years ago to a feral, filthy Wolverine who’s living alone in the wilderness.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Few things at airports irritate customers like filthy toilets or water on the restroom floor.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of filthy

Browse Nearby Words

mess (with)
messy
met
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Cite this Entry

“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messy. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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