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
-
After South Korea’s goalkeeper fumbled a ball, Luis Romo scored the goal that gave the Mexicans six points and pushed them to the top of the standings.
-
OnlyFans fumbled a previous version of this dilemma.
Verb
-
The fires also disrupted travel across parts of Miami-Dade County.
-
Poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and health conditions like metabolic bone disease can disrupt bone remodeling, leading to weaker bones over time.
Verb
-
There's been some stumbling plays, thwarted by tripping and dramatic falls.
-
The conversation stumbles on for a few moments, but Crook can’t find the words.
Verb
-
After milking, the cows would return themselves to their fresh pasture and spend the day grazing, snoozing, licking one another, and cooling off in the shade of pine trees.
-
Bring along a friend who wouldn’t be able to indulge in these kinds of finger-licking treats otherwise.
Verb
-
The Philadelphia Phillies went into the top of the ninth inning down 8-6 to the Washington Nationals after Orion Kerkering gave up a three-run home run to blow the lead late in the game.
-
While sitting on your porch or deck, a blast of air from a fan can help blow weak-flying mosquitoes away.
Verb
-
The decision reverses a June 15 determination by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher, who concluded the Petersburg resident's candidacy was intended to confuse voters rather than represent a legitimate campaign.
-
The senator and allies, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, have condemned the challenger’s efforts to join the race, arguing his presence could confuse voters.
Verb
-
Instead of perfection, Rainey strove to disarm her audience, at times intentionally tripping or starting off with a joke to humanize herself and lighten the mood, McNulty said.
-
Early on in the clip, Jake Johnson’s former tennis star Dusty Boyd trips over the net and injures his wrist in a bad way.
Verb
-
Turns out, a kid brought in with gunshot wounds died in that room the same night, and a final look at the security footage shows a mysterious third man — clearly hiding his face from all cameras under a label-less baseball cap — entering the same room around the same time as Ji.
-
Stealth jurors — those who hide their true biases to influence a verdict — could pose a serious problem for prosecutors in either of Mangione's cases, Rahmani said.
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.
Cite this Entry
“Mess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20%28up%29. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
