mess over

verb

Definition of mess overnext
slang
as in to abuse
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon her no-good boyfriend has been messing her over for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess over
  1. abuse
  2. take apart
  3. bully
Verb
  • Jarrett, the elder brother, was eventually taken in by a man who later abused him, a victimizer who then set his sights on Baylon.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Market power can be abused, and a transaction involving companies this significant deserves careful regulatory scrutiny.
    — Cory Jacobson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of abuse
Verb
  • Across the street, other workers are clearing the rubble from the old Highmark Stadium as it is taken apart piece by piece.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • Among the arrays that are set to be taken apart is the Coastal Endurance Array, which lies off the coasts of Oregon and Washington State.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 2 June 2026
Definition of take apart
Verb
  • Trump has been bullying Canada since the start of his second term.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
  • All of us artists could stand to be more like Mark, willing to speak out for oppressed people everywhere, even when powerful people try to bully us into silence.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of bully
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

messmates
mess over
mess (up)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mess over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20over. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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