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

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)
  1. fumble
  2. disrupt
  3. stumble
  4. lick
  5. blow
  6. confuse
  7. trip
  8. hide
Verb
  • On the first play of Rutgers' next drive, Surace was sacked at the Rutgers 8 and fumbled with Northwestern’s Jamaal Johnson recovering.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Chiefs actually missed a 43-yard field goal that would have won the game in regulation — after Justin Houston forced Lamar Jackson to fumble — but won the game with a short kick in overtime.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • Sectarian tensions and the disrupting force of the Cold War plunged the Middle Eastern nation into decades of armed conflict, with a chilling effect on daily life.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The team radio can disrupt Antonelli’s concentration, so Wolff told me that the engineers have learned how to use it less often, or with fewer words.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • There was upset after upset, and a few teams were on the verge of stumbling as well.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Next week will bring major risks for a stock market that's trying to find its footing as the AI trade continues to stumble, with several megacap earnings, a Federal Reserve meeting and a key inflation report in store.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Occupying a particularly picturesque and secluded stretch of headland, where Aleppo pines drape rocky coves and the cerulean Mediterranean waves lick the similarly shaded horizon, the resort is the hospitality group’s first foray into the Balearics.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Some wagged their tails as people approached, licked their hands and even liked to be petted.
    — Alida de Flamingh, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Stephen Curry scored 24 points, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg added 18 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in his home debut, but the Warriors blew it as Memphis capitalized with a 17-0 run.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Either way, that would widen the deficit and blow past the government's 5% GDP target.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • But the other Sullivan has said the decision to run was his own and denied his candidacy was intended to confuse voters or siphon votes in Republican Sullivan's tight race against Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman.
    — Willem Marx, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Christina Applegate’s recent revelation that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis is raising questions about how the disease can be confused with other conditions even after years of treatment.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • And maybe trips like this can help the nomad way of life survive.
    — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Up until tonight, Raman has done a good job of communicating a message of hope and change, while Bass, as the incumbent, has repeatedly tripped on her record over the biblically bad four years of her first term.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of trip
Verb
  • Working in quick, gentle strokes, Abrams used her brush and sprayer to peel away dirt hiding the floral details on Eliza’s grave before moving to the next.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The subsequent furor is about hiding it from the public and about a brazen plea to keep the Democratic Party and three of its candidates from advertising those facts.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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