messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
2
: lacking neatness or precision : careless, slovenly
messy thinking
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
messily adverb
messiness noun

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 Cleaning it out can be a messy and hand-cramping process, so enlist the help of some power tools to help get the job done much faster. Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 My brother also joked about a secret anti-list for their kids to avoid getting terribly messy or noisy toys. Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024 So give yourself a round of applause when being extra and messy. Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 21 Oct. 2024 For example, the applicant started with the image of her messy desk and told stories about accomplishments, hobbies, and skills that were evidenced in that space. Kristen Moon, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for messy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'messy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of messy was in 1627

Dictionary Entries Near messy

Cite this Entry

“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

messy

adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
messily adverb
messiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on messy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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