as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
keeping a cluttered workshop makes it hard to find the right tool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in clogged
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in disorganized
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of cluttered
Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
Your counter space just got a little less cluttered.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
But Sexton and Simons will be fighting for oxygen in a cluttered backcourt, especially when Giddey and Jones return.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
The room felt extremely cluttered and chaotic when the bed wasn't made during our month-long attempt which led to avoidable frustration—and who wants to be forced to make their bed daily?
—Aliyah Rodriguez, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Developed by Penn Engineers, the system could improve safety of robots operating in cluttered indoor settings like warehouses and factories.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
Something as subtle as a stray wire from your TV or just one too many frames on the wall can take a room from stylish to cluttered.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Inflation has weighed on shoppers, and customers have voiced frustration over cluttered stores and inconsistent merchandise that strayed from the retailer’s identity as a polished, affordable-chic chain.
—Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
There’s nothing loud or cluttered going on here, nor any great insistence on tradition or overt Englishness.
—Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
If your kitchen is looking cluttered from a long winter of cooking comfort meals and baking over the holidays, the best way to prepare it for a spring deep clean is by tackling clutter in cabinets, on counters, and on pantry shelves to organize every surface.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
Your counter space just got a little less cluttered.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
But Sexton and Simons will be fighting for oxygen in a cluttered backcourt, especially when Giddey and Jones return.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
The room felt extremely cluttered and chaotic when the bed wasn't made during our month-long attempt which led to avoidable frustration—and who wants to be forced to make their bed daily?
—Aliyah Rodriguez, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Developed by Penn Engineers, the system could improve safety of robots operating in cluttered indoor settings like warehouses and factories.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
Something as subtle as a stray wire from your TV or just one too many frames on the wall can take a room from stylish to cluttered.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Inflation has weighed on shoppers, and customers have voiced frustration over cluttered stores and inconsistent merchandise that strayed from the retailer’s identity as a polished, affordable-chic chain.
—Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
There’s nothing loud or cluttered going on here, nor any great insistence on tradition or overt Englishness.
—Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cluttered
Adjective
-
How does Carolyn’s hair actually look better a little messy?—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Saturday is expected to be the nicest day of the week, with mostly sunny skies and a high around 51, but Sunday could be messy.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Clean your gutters and downspouts at least once a year (more often if they get clogged with leaves or other debris).—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Gutters can lead to indoor humidity if they are clogged and result in leaks and high concentrations of humidity, or if the downspout faces into the home.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Buyers who understand neighborhood-level competition, secure financing early and structure offers carefully are best positioned to succeed in a market that remains competitive — but no longer chaotic.—
Allison Palmer
Updated February 23,
Kansas City Star,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Omar Casillas was running a half marathon, about to cross the finish line when things became chaotic.—
Suzanne Gamboa,
NBC news,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Attack drones filled urgent gaps in Ukraine’s infantry defenses and artillery stocks in late 2023.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Parents and community partners worked together to build gardens, a mud kitchen and a 75-tree learning forest filled with native species.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Returning from exile, the Roman statesman found his property vandalized; his scrolls jumbled, torn, and scattered.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
-
That all got jumbled when Vonn crashed 13 seconds into her downhill run and reportedly broke her leg.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Following the 2008 recession, the company was burdened by high real estate costs and struggling to keep up with changing ways of shopping.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
-
What before was a straightforward process almost entirely paid for by insurance or public dollars is likely to become burdened by more paperwork, higher out-of-pocket costs, and fewer choices.—
Sophia Newcomer,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Peterson's lawyers argued his role as an armed school resource officer did not amount to a caregiving post needed to prove child neglect in Florida, and that the response to the shooting was muddled by poor communication.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
At the moment, however, the apex of the 2026 draft order is muddled.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cluttered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cluttered. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
