mess with

phrase

1

: to deal with (someone) in a way that may cause anger or violence

He's not someone you want to mess with.

2

: to be involved with (someone or something) that may cause problems

I don't have time to mess with all these changes.

3

: to handle something in a careless way

Stop messing with my phone.

Examples of mess with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

DeChambeau hummed and whistled and messed with the 15 or so reporters still waiting him out. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 17 July 2026

The practice of changing the clocks by a mere hour twice a year is already known to mess with human sleep-wake cycles, after all. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 July 2026

The Universe Intervenes These stories often feature a main character who needs to learn a lesson, and a universe that teaches it to them by messing with their timeline. — Amy Tordoff, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

The dust, the wind, the heat and the wildfire smoke all mess with your head. — Maddy Butcher, Washington Post, 8 July 2026