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
Things with Turner got messy quickly with custody issues rearing their head, but seemed to have settled down now.
—
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
Pain lives in the glorious, messy middle of all the things that make you, you.
—Big Think, 24 Mar. 2026
In were podcast-style audio setups and messy, center-of-the-newsroom production vibes more line with the aesthetic of indie influencers.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
Some consumers may find the roller ball application method messy.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
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Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
Pain lives in the glorious, messy middle of all the things that make you, you.
—Big Think, 24 Mar. 2026
In were podcast-style audio setups and messy, center-of-the-newsroom production vibes more line with the aesthetic of indie influencers.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
Some consumers may find the roller ball application method messy.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 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 28 Mar. 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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