mess 1 of 2

Definition of messnext
1
2
3
as in sight
something unpleasant to look at the car was a mess after the accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in loads
a considerable amount an unexpected Super Bowl loss that unleashed a whole mess of finger-pointing and second-guessing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mess

2 of 2

verb

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 mess
Noun
One Texas city offers a road map out of this mess, said Shaina Mishkin in Barron’s. The Week Us, TheWeek, 11 June 2026 That is why one quick click can turn into a much bigger mess. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Verb
That button will mess a lot of things up. Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026 However, its parent company, Time Warner, nixed the venture, deeming it too risky to mess with the bureaucrats that regulate its empire. Angelica Kalika, The Conversation, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess
Noun
  • The goal of all this havoc is not to destroy democracy, according to Vergara—though that might be a welcome side effect, to some—but to torpedo the rule of law and thereby protect illicit financial gains.
    Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
  • Finally, incompetence and unprofessionalism in the new management have wreaked havoc.
    Joanna Ossinger,Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Those living on the street can use the mission to send and receive mail, take a shower, use the restroom and get food, with anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people showing up for each meal.
    Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
  • The restaurant on Concord Mills Boulevard in Concord will serve its last meals Friday, June 12, an employee told CharlotteFive over the phone.
    Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • The bickering began when plans for a watch party outside Madison Square Garden, a now-common sight during the Knicks' playoff run, were scrapped ahead of Wednesday night's game.
    Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2026
  • But for now, he's got his sights set on Team England ahead of the North American World Cup, which kicks off in Mexico City June 11.
    Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • The initial system, named Eos, serves as a large-scale prototype designed to achieve steady-state fusion and test structural integrity under real operational loads.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026
  • Einride's proprietary optimization software, Saga AI, is also being used to manage EV execution of select Amazon loads, including charging planning.
    Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Around this time of year, the last properly dark nights are still hanging on before summer twilight starts to interfere.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 6 June 2026
  • The game was not yet codified, and teachers let students organize games without interfering in their play.
    Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • For him and for a lot of artists and writers, seeing people experience your work in person—like being at a gallery opening with your own work on the walls and people spilling wine on it—is a kind of hell on earth.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
  • The Miami duo’s electrifying, boundary-bending combination of Haitian kompa, underground rap, reggaeton, electro-pop, and baile funk is loud as hell and rich in egalitarian spirit.
    Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • On another monitor, a dashboard that resembles the menu screen of a flight simulator flickers to life — only this is no simulation.
    Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
  • Best Restaurants Ember & Rye Set against the Aviara Golf Club at the Park Hyatt Aviara, Top Chef alum Richard Blais’ steakhouse, Ember & Rye, has a menu that goes beyond the traditional.
    Dyana Lederman, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • People went opening weekend to experience the frights in a communal setting.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 June 2026
  • Copyright 2025, all frights reserved.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on mess

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster