mess up
verb
messed up; messing up; messes up
informal
: to make a mistake : to do something incorrectly
About halfway into the recipe, I realized that I had messed up, and I had to start over.
—often + onShe's afraid she'll mess up on the test.
I messed up on my first attempt.
Examples of mess up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Oils and grease are in liquid form while warm, but will become a solid, jello-like substance after cooling; this is what will mess up your plumbing.
—
Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 11 June 2026
Knicks fans, though, do not seem to be concerned so much with his politics, but that his attendance — and the hoopla accompanying it — could mess up the team’s momentum.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Working hard is part of life, and messing up is part of life.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Working hard is part of life, and messing up is part of life.
—Alessandra Codinha, InStyle, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mess up
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Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 11 June 2026
Knicks fans, though, do not seem to be concerned so much with his politics, but that his attendance — and the hoopla accompanying it — could mess up the team’s momentum.
—Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Working hard is part of life, and messing up is part of life.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Working hard is part of life, and messing up is part of life.
—Alessandra Codinha, InStyle, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mess up
Cite this Entry
“Mess up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mess%20up. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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