mess up

1 to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way messed up the drawing and had to start over Synonyms blow, bobble, boggle, bollix (up), boot, bugger (up), bumble, bungle, butcher, dub, flub, fluff, foozle, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mangle, botch (up), muck up, muff, murder, screw upRelated Words blunder, gum (up), muddle, piffle; blemish, blight, damage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, mutilate, ruin, spoil, vitiate; destroy, wreck; mishandle, mismanageNear Antonyms ameliorate, better, enhance, help, improve, meliorate, rectify, refine, reform, remedy; doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp

2 to undo the proper order or arrangement of a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight Synonyms confuse, derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, hash, jumble, disorder (up), mix (up), muddle, muss, rumple, scramble, shuffle, tousle, tumble, upsetRelated Words embroil, entangle, snarl, tangle; agitate, perturb, stir (up), unsettle; clutterNear Antonyms align (also aline), line, line up, queue; classify, codify, methodize, systematize, systemize; adjust, fix; groom, make up, spruce (up); unscrambleAntonyms arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal (also marshall), order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy

3 to make a mistake if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again Synonyms blunder, boob [British], flub, fluff, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, err (up), screw up, slip up, stumble, tripRelated Words nod; bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, foozle, mangle, mishandle, muff, murder; miscalculate, misconceive, miscount, miscue, misdeem, misgauge, misjudge, mistake; misconstrue, misinterpret, misunderstand

4 to strike repeatedly “If I catch you looking at my girlfriend, I'm going to mess you up!” he threatened Synonyms bash, baste, bat, batter, belabor, belt, birch, bludgeon, buffet, bung up, club, curry, do, drub, fib [British], flog, hammer, hide, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lash, lather, lick, maul, beat (up), paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, punch out, rough (up), slate, slog, switch, tan, thrash, thresh, thump, tromp, wallop, whale, whip, whop (or whap), whup, work overRelated Words assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch, raid, rush, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, storm, swat, swipe, thwack, whack, wham, whomp; blackjack, cane, cowhide, flagellate, fustigate, horsewhip, leather, pistol-whip, rawhide, scourge, strap; gore, lacerate, wound; maim, mangle, mutilate