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
Yes, the weather will bring chain controls, travel delays, and messy commutes.
—
James Ward, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Vanderpump Rules features all the petty drama of Real Housewives with a messy cast of (very flawed) characters who make plenty of mistakes and get into more than their fair share of conflict.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
Add tariffs to the mix and things get even messier.
—Tara Donaldson, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
There are still some trustbusters in the administration, especially at the FTC, which has avoided being pulled into messy lobbyist fights and White House schisms.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
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James Ward, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Vanderpump Rules features all the petty drama of Real Housewives with a messy cast of (very flawed) characters who make plenty of mistakes and get into more than their fair share of conflict.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
Add tariffs to the mix and things get even messier.
—Tara Donaldson, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
There are still some trustbusters in the administration, especially at the FTC, which has avoided being pulled into messy lobbyist fights and White House schisms.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 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 19 Feb. 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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