1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
messed up the drawing and had to start over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stumble
to make a mistake
if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess (up)
Verb
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Last year, Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor celebrated prematurely and fumbled the ball through the back of the end zone on what was going to be a 41-yard TD run.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025 -
Cowboys linebacker James Houston caused Love to fumble.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Eastern members of the alliance, including Estonia, Poland, and Romania, recently reported incursions into their airspace, while drones that disrupted Danish airports are suspected of being linked to Russia.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Sensory deprivation training has become increasingly common over the past decade, particularly when Steph Curry popularized practicing with strobe goggles to disrupt his vision.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But there have been some career stumbles recently, a superhero disappointment in particular, that must have complicated Johnson’s conception of his remarkable career.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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Wallen then stumbles to his feet in the middle of the road, as rain pours down, with close-up images showing Wallen in tattered clothes and covered in scrapes and cuts.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the mischievous pup led his owner directly to the scene of the crime by licking his lips constantly, which seemed awfully curious.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Bear 856 is also a large, male brown bear, who is easily identifiable to park rangers due to the animal's unusual habit of licking his lips — a behavior not typically observed in brown bears.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Grealish, no longer prone, headed, just like Moyes, to the South Stand and appeared to blow a kiss to adoring fans.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Apparently, Grier forgot his own words, because the lines that the Dolphins have built are collectively their worst this decade, something evident in a crushing 27-24 loss to Carolina, a game in which Miami blew a 17-0 lead.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Georges Mikautadze tripped before getting back on his feet to score Villarreal’s 18th-minute opener from a Nicolas Pepe assist.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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In the Cowboys’ lone OT possession, inside the Packers’ 5-yard line, Dak was feeling some pressure, and running when he was barely tripped from behind by his old teammate to return to the original line of scrimmage.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Crotz was initially confused as to why Kjartan had closed himself inside.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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CarShield has received positive comments for its breadth of coverage and quick response times, although some policyholders have complained about claim denials, fine-print surprises and confusing sales practices.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Target’s sale has discounts on thousands of storage furniture pieces, like this soft and roomy fleece bench with a lift-top and this cabinet that discreetly hides and deodorizes trash cans.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Oct. 2025
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Johnson sat in the makeup chair for two hours undergoing a transformation process that resulted in the cauliflower ears, a specific browbone piece and other prosthetics, plus hiding his tattoos.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Mess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20%28up%29. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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