messy

adjective

ˈme-sē 

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

2

: lacking neatness or precision : careless, slovenly

messy thinking

3

: extremely unpleasant or trying

messy lawsuits

a messy divorce

messily

ˈme-sə-lē 

adverb

messiness

ˈme-sē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of messy

• chaotic
• sloppy
• cluttered
• confused
• littered
• jumbled
• filthy

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

After an initial agreement to buy the team from Hicks at the start of that year, a messy bankruptcy case ensued before the group finally acquired it at auction with a bid valued at $590 million. —CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025

Sometimes, your comforter might have tears in it that make the washing process messy. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 7 Dec. 2025

The downside is that pine branches dry out relatively quickly, even in water, and their needles tend to fall off in messy piles. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Dec. 2025

Remediation is expensive and messy, so be proactive, not reactive. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for messy

• bessy
• cressy
• dressy
• jesse

Kids Definition

messy

adjective

ˈmes-ē 

messier; messiest

1

: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy

2

: extremely unpleasant or trying

messy lawsuits

messily

ˈmes-ə-lē 

adverb

messiness

ˈmes-ē-nəs 

noun