as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
having a messy room is virtually de rigueur for a college student
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messy
But that messy history cannot detract from the courage and impact of Barbara Johns.
—
Jonathan Entin, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Additional clipper-like systems may follow later this week, keeping the northern Plains cold and occasionally messy with more snow and wintry precipitation.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 1 Apr. 2026
A couple of rounds of messy weather, including rain, slush, ice and snow, are set to hit Minnesota in the coming days.
—Joseph Dames, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Bravo's latest love triangle is especially messy.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Jonathan Entin, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Additional clipper-like systems may follow later this week, keeping the northern Plains cold and occasionally messy with more snow and wintry precipitation.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 1 Apr. 2026
A couple of rounds of messy weather, including rain, slush, ice and snow, are set to hit Minnesota in the coming days.
—Joseph Dames, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Bravo's latest love triangle is especially messy.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messy
Adjective
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While some show up just to hang out, officials say these events are increasingly turning chaotic with fights, property damage, and in some cases arrests.—
Kaley Fedko,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Magnus ran a hand through his disheveled mane of auburn hair, a chaotic halo framing his disbelief.—
Ben Mezrich,
Vanity Fair,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This team is inconsistent, sloppy and soft.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
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Just six of those came in the second half and the Bruins took better care of the ball while running their offense more efficiently, but sloppy play and frustration have flared up despite the Bruins’ veteran leadership.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Down where the Pigeons toiled, two-foot piles of garbage cluttered blocks lined with storage-unit facilities, budget hotels, abandoned RVs and parking lots sealed with rusted razor wire.—
TIM CRAIG THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2026
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One woman was paying $600 per month to live in a storage shed in the muddy backyard cluttered with junk and dotted with dog poop.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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With all those numbers flying around, Americans might be understandably confused about when, exactly, they are expected to retire.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Despite the convenience of the one-stop concept, the process is so convoluted that some left frustrated and confused.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
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The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The musical, which examines in jumbled chronology the five-year relationship between novelist Jamie and actress Cathy, debuted in Chicago in 2001 and opened off Broadway the following year.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Initially intriguing, the jumbled chronology eventually proves to be largely decorative until a disappointing late-reel twist explains why the labored device was deployed in the first place.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Space Marines are attempting to reclaim Kronus from the filthy xenos on the planet, leading a heroic charge into a massive Ork army as the Necrons rise again.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
29 Mar. 2026
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The woman was taken to the Fort Worth jail, by then best described as an old, filthy, rat-infested hole in the basement of city hall.—
Kevin Foster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messy. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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