messed 1 of 2

Definition of messednext

messed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of mess

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
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
Escarra messed with the torpedoes in 2025, but never committed. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026 The models who went all the way were the ones who ceded to Banks’s worldview, who agreed to have their hair dyed and their teeth messed with and their bodies altered. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026 As Nikki, a veteran killing machine, Jovovich is one mother not to be messed with. Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026 Wedding tradition in the South is nothing to be messed with. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026 In her fifty-seven years of wandering, nobody had messed with her. Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026 The internet already messed her up pretty good. Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025 The internet already messed her up pretty good. Charles Trepany, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025 The internet already messed her up pretty good. George Ramsay, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messed
Adjective
  • Beyond the hardware, it’s packed with AI features like Circle to Search for instant lookups and Handwriting Assist to tidy up your messy notes, all backed by a 20-hour battery that lasts well beyond the standard workday.
    Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Things with Turner got messy quickly with custody issues rearing their head, but seemed to have settled down now.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • With many fans cheering him on, one interfered and led him off course.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • To this day, Bezos has never interfered in newsroom decisions, according to interviews with two dozen senior Post journalists over the years.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The fan disappointment was echoed in the community dedicated to Barbie on Reddit, where many called out the organizers for such a chaotic event.
    Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The footage captures a chaotic moment many pet owners recognize instantly—when curiosity tips over into trouble.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Untrustworthy employees There have been cases where employees at security companies snooped through camera feeds.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • When the director approached Hanks directly, the actor was confused.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
  • After catching confused glances all through Venice, traversing neighborhoods and winding along Abbott Kinney, the group landed at the home of Matt Ricotta.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Since then, the president has repeatedly poked at the vulnerability.
    Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Many spectators poked fun at the efforts of Chicago police to confiscate and collect BORGs in viral posts over the weekend.
    Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This was a better defensive effort for the Stars than their sloppy defeat Tuesday night at home against New Jersey.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The Lakers relied on another part-time G League contributor to carry them through a sloppy fourth quarter.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Messed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messed. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

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