mess 1 of 2

noun

ˈmes How to pronounce mess (audio)
Definition of messnext
1
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order the bachelor party had left the house in a total mess

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2
as in meal
food eaten or prepared for eating at one time a mess of oatmeal

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3
as in sight
something unpleasant to look at the car was a mess after the accident

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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

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mess

2 of 2

verb

as in to interfere
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern please don't mess with me while I'm trying to concentrate

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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
Back on the boat, Joe and Nathan joke around in the crew mess. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026 This is rice with mango — a local merchant said to describe the situation, using a common Spanish expression to describe a mess. — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
In Argentina, however, the Barras bravas remain a muscular, not-to-be-messed-with presence. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 July 2026 There was something a little therapeutic about messing it up. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess
  1. havoc
  2. meal
  3. sight
  4. loads
  5. interfere
  6. hell
  7. menu
  8. fright
Noun
  • The storms have caused flooding, havoc and devastation in several parts of Chile.
    — Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • So where does this rank among the wackiest havoc ever wreaked by domes on innocent baseballs?
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • Rates include all meals and drinks, plus a daily massage—much needed after a day spent gorilla trekking, hiking, or birdwatching in the nearby Volcanoes National Park.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Protein topped the list of college students’ dining preferences in 2026, and stocking the right dorm staples can close the gap between meals.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of meal
Noun
  • And up to 20 miles (32 km) under ideal line-of-sight conditions.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026
  • And in California, where Waymos are a common sight in several cities, Tesla still hasn’t obtained permits to run its vehicles on public roads without humans at the wheel.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of sight
Noun
  • This is the kind of test that quickly separates a power station that merely has an impressive number printed on its case from one with an inverter and battery management system capable of handling tough, real-world loads.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Data collected from the test rig could allow manufacturers to design heat pumps and heat exchangers for high temperatures, large loads, and changing conditions.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of loads
Verb
  • The terms of the restraining order will bar Gupta and his gallery from interfering at all with Longcraft’s interest in the works.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Oct. 2026
  • If a person interferes or one step fails, the system can adjust its plan and retry rather than requiring the entire task to be restarted.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of interfere
Noun
  • And look at the Johnson-less segments, like the overlong Weekend Update (more on that later) — or especially the stale-as-hell midterm ads political cold open, another excuse to run through all the usual impressions.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Season 1 of The Watcher followed the Brannock family who moved into what was supposed to be their suburban dream home, and quickly became a living hell.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of hell
Noun
  • Families will love the pizza menu, and vegetarians will not go hungry here.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of menu
Noun
  • But don’t worry, all the frights and fun are still heading our way soon.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Moments later their fun turned into fright as the coyote continued attacking the child, even after Cardinal yelled at it.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of fright

Phrases Containing mess

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mesomorphic
mess
message
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Cite this Entry

“Mess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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