MESSED Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

messed 1 of 2

adjective

as in messy

lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness came home to find a messed basement with his tools scattered about

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messed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of mess

as in interfered

to interest oneself in what is not one's concern please don't mess with me while I'm trying to concentrate

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of messed

Adjective

Why would literally anyone use these messed up AI photos to advertise their restaurant? — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 Tracy Letts plays her perverted husband, while Callum Turner, Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage and Riley Keough star as her very messed up children, and Elle Fanning is Bell’s paramour. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 25 July 2026 By making this register the emotional climax of the season, the show leaves us with the impression that John and Carolyn’s relationship was more messed up than fulfilling or loving. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 His skin looks all messed up and he's hunched over in pain, hearing noises. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026 The first week or so of February will be a bit messed up because of bright moonlight. — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026 Stagner had seen a lot of messed-up things in his life, from explosives in Iraq wounding fellow Marines to the gruesome aftermath of shootings in Brunswick. — ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025 Similarly, Ehrenreich — who has been building back a very interesting and strong career after taking some unfair critical brickbats along the way — is just terrific as this somewhat messed-up local cop. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025

Verb

In Argentina, however, the Barras bravas remain a muscular, not-to-be-messed-with presence. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 July 2026 The May 23 rainout in New York that messed with their vibe. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026 Rocky was not to be messed with. — CBS News, 18 June 2026 What is a home, if not something to be messed with? — Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 June 2026 That crash really messed me up. — Michael Hollett, SPIN, 14 June 2026 This man is not to be messed with. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 May 2026 This mash-up is not a dish to be messed with. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 May 2026 That idea has led to a rigid view that symphonic pieces aren’t to be messed with. — Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for messed

Adjective

Football is a messy game with far too many variables for one statistic to ever fully grasp.

— Austin Mock, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
The districts' policies are part of a messy patchwork of new laws and guidelines that have spread across the United States, leaving inconsistent rules state-by-state, or even district-by-district.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of messy

Verb

But if the plan was to let sleeping dogs lie, Bartiromo interfered by passing along the internal guidance.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Charlotte Flair and Chelsea Green both qualified on television, Green over Kiana James and Flair over Nia Jax by disqualification after Jade Cargill interfered.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of interfered

Adjective

Local officials said the scene on the ground was chaotic, with multiple people taken to area hospitals.

— Chandelis Duster, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026
Gilbertson’s involvement in the ports grew out of a series of chaotic mergers that in the 1990s led to endless disputes among shippers and the railroads about whose cargo would move first.

— John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of chaotic

Verb

While authorities snooped around, the charity’s fundraising expenses declined, dropping from $384,000 in 2016 to $111,000 in 2017.

— Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Untrustworthy employees There have been cases where employees at security companies snooped through camera feeds.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025

Definition of snooped

Adjective

The event was somewhat shambolic, with confused chefs stopping for selfies with Bibendum as the host tried to move things along.

— Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
The adoption of this policy came very late in the summer and after a more tentative earlier policy that mainly confused educators and parents.

— New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of confused

Verb

Better together Industry analysts, experts and insiders have consistently poked holes in the states' argument that the combination of TV networks would create antitrust issues.

— Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
So too were the buildings, including my hotel, which poked through the seven-foot-high snowbanks, looking like an ancient shipwreck covered in shifting sand.

— Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of poked

Adjective

In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.

— Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.

— Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025

Definition of littered

Adjective

But a 17-point win masked how off-kilter and sloppy the offense looked against the overmatched Huskies.

— John Talty, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026
Vaughn Grissom drove in four runs, rookie Walbert Ureña pitched seven strong innings and the Los Angeles Angels ended a seven-game losing streak with a 10-1 victory over the sloppy New York Yankees on Monday night.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026