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 High temperatures inside a car, even when no one is in it, can lead to some dangerous or messy surprises. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026 Be clear about your availability, budget and intentions before things get messy. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 Entrepreneurship or a portfolio of roles feels messier than earning a regular salary because the risk is more visible. — Henrik Totterman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 Unlike detergent sheets, liquid detergent requires measuring, which can sometimes lead to over-pouring or messy bottles in the laundry room. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 3 July 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
  • Interview with the Vampire’s composer Daniel Hart has taken the audience on a wonderfully chaotic journey through different styles of music in The Vampire Lestat.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • The events surrounding the funeral were chaotic, with eight people killed and hundreds injured, according to a report written by the Associated Press news agency at the time.
    — Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of chaotic
Adjective
  • England looked disjointed and sloppy for much of the first half, while Congo was bright and creative with the ball and held England at bay defensively.
    — Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, 1 July 2026
  • The regulars were middle-aged men who routinely drank five or six cocktails after work and were only rarely sloppy.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • The sink and toilet are out of the way, and the shower user enjoys a cleaner, less cluttered space more like a dedicated shower room.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 July 2026
  • Nobody wants a cluttered living room—however, maintaining a streamlined space can take a bit of mindfulness.
    — Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
Definition of cluttered
Adjective
  • In Timon, by contrast, everything is a rush, everything is broke-off and confused, everything is hurtling through suffering towards oblivion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • But when non-negotiable tasks are framed as questions, children can become confused about whether the task is actually optional.
    — Siggie Cohen, CNBC, 4 July 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
  • Birkin’s signature unfussy aesthetic translated well to her living environments, which featured a jumbled array of objects of all kinds, layered by years of flea market finds and vintage store visits.
    — Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 1 July 2026
  • The shore now alternated between open sandy or rocky beaches and jumbled boulders ranging from a foot to many feet in diameter.
    — Marc Terziev, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026
Definition of jumbled
Adjective
  • Margera tried to soothe the pain by submerging his fresh brand in a tub of filthy farm water, which resulted in a life-threatening staph infection that landed him in the hospital.
    — Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026
  • Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of messy for Spanish Speakers

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