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
But not to be outdone in a messy game, cornerback Jaycee Horn was flagged for a pass interference penalty.
—
Charlotte Observer, 15 Dec. 2025
This is the tale of how the relationship between Mbappe and PSG deteriorated to the point of a messy legal battle.
—Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
Several groups have promised to spend top dollar on unseating those who oppose redistricting, setting the stage for a messy primary if the Senate did not pass the bill.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 12 Dec. 2025
Matter from the accretion disk is gradually fed to the black hole, but these galaxy-dominating titans are notoriously messy eaters, with some material channeled from the poles of the black holes by powerful magnetic fields.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Charlotte Observer, 15 Dec. 2025
This is the tale of how the relationship between Mbappe and PSG deteriorated to the point of a messy legal battle.
—Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
Several groups have promised to spend top dollar on unseating those who oppose redistricting, setting the stage for a messy primary if the Senate did not pass the bill.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 12 Dec. 2025
Matter from the accretion disk is gradually fed to the black hole, but these galaxy-dominating titans are notoriously messy eaters, with some material channeled from the poles of the black holes by powerful magnetic fields.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
messy
adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share