messier; messiest
1
a
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
b
: likely to create a mess
a messy task/hobby
messy paint
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
Examples of messy in a Sentence
Painting a room can be messy work.
Some kinds of glue are messier than others.
a delicious but messy sandwich
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite Guillotin’s ideals, executions were messy and sometimes shambolic affairs, swarmed by bloodthirsty crowds and heckling tricoteuses.
—
Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
This whole thing was messy and complicated and confusing from start to finish.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Amid an unfurling federal corruption probe into City Councilmember Farah Louis, the Daily News has learned that the Brooklyn rep has been embroiled in a messy internal council investigation.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Beyond the hardware, it’s packed with AI features like Circle to Search for instant lookups and Handwriting Assist to tidy up your messy notes, all backed by a 20-hour battery that lasts well beyond the standard workday.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
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Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
This whole thing was messy and complicated and confusing from start to finish.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Amid an unfurling federal corruption probe into City Councilmember Farah Louis, the Daily News has learned that the Brooklyn rep has been embroiled in a messy internal council investigation.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Beyond the hardware, it’s packed with AI features like Circle to Search for instant lookups and Handwriting Assist to tidy up your messy notes, all backed by a 20-hour battery that lasts well beyond the standard workday.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
messy
adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
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