mess (up)

verb

Definition of mess (up)next
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

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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

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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)
  1. fumble
  2. disrupt
  3. stumble
  4. lick
  5. blow
  6. confuse
  7. trip
  8. hide
Verb
  • Three plays later, Austin Simmons hit Cayden Lee, who got blasted by a Longhorn defender and fumbled to set up the game-sealing Texas TD.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Nov. 2026
  • And four plays after Browne fumbled at his own 2, Washington scored on 1 -yard plunge.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • That strategy allows the state to store water without disrupting the river system itself, proponents say, as opposed to the fish-killing dams of the past.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • This higher baseline expression in female brains could therefore help maintain activity across this network when other genes are disrupted.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • The last chance for the Mountaineers ended when Hawkins stumbled and fell in the end zone for a safety in the final two minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • For seven games, Myles Garrett could only watch the Rams from a stadium suite, on television or from the sideline as the team favored to win the Super Bowl stumbled to a slow start.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Unfortunately for us, those tenants have evolved a sticky knack for evading eviction, creating a webbing known as biofilm that prevents them from being easily licked or swallowed away.
    — Mike McRae, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2026
  • That’s not exactly chump change, considering Atlanta was still licking its wounds after the Great Depression.
    — Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • The Jets blew a nine-point halftime lead and wasted a 33-point afternoon against a Raiders team that had lost four straight.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • As the final whistle blew at CPKC Stadium, signaling victory for the Kansas City Current in a Saturday playoff match, a release of joy swept across the field.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • Nearly all of the 70,000-plus fans in attendance — even the half of the stadium that was wearing Denver Broncos orange — were confused.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Neither party should confuse a vote with a lifetime commitment.
    — Jose M. Muñoz, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • On this day in 1922, according to the popular account, a boy tripped on a stone and kicked off one of the greatest archaeological finds in history.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Without adequate calf muscle strength, the calf muscles can fatigue quickly, leading to foot dragging or tripping.
    — Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of trip
Verb
  • In Fallen Leaves Adult pests, larvae, and eggs can all hide out in old and fallen leaves that have dropped off deciduous plants, trees, and dead veggies.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 6 Nov. 2026
  • What starts as a thrilling hustle exposes just how many guns are hiding inside the homes of their seemingly safe community.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of hide
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.

Browse Nearby Words

mess over
mess (up)
mess (with)
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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 10 Nov. 2026.

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