1
as in fumbled
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 disrupted
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 stumbled
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 licked
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 messed (up)
Verb
-
Henderson also fumbled after hauling in a pass from DeVito.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
2 June 2026 -
During Miami’s two periods of special teams work Malik Washington fumbled his first kickoff return, but most of the other punt returners and kickoff returned fielded their attempts well.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Major ash-producing eruptions have repeatedly disrupted life across the region and can affect areas far beyond the immediate danger zone.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
9 June 2026
-
The department said current emergency notification systems rely on cellular devices, radio signals, electrical connectivity and power, all of which can be disrupted by heavy smoke, power outages or damage to communication infrastructure during an emergency.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Weiss, best known for her work as an opinion journalist and the launch of her site The Free Press, has stumbled in her new role in large part due to a lack of experience with TV operations.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
9 June 2026
-
In the fall of 1995, hunters stumbled on Josette’s bones in the woods near rural Carmel, an hour north of the Bronx.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
-
Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.—
Laura Ungar,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Winn blew the save, and the Giants lost in extras.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
-
Caitlin Clark was part of another disastrous collapse on Saturday night, as the Indiana Fever blew a double-digit lead to the New York Liberty.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Both the National Weather Service of Miami and the Florida Keys said there was no cause for alarm and no tsunami threat, but that didn’t stop confused Floridians from taking to social media and neighborhood Facebook groups to ask if anyone else felt something similar.—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
-
Hull played her first two rounds at 3 over, squeezing under the cut by one stroke while saying she had been confused by the speed of the greens.—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Britain’s Katie Boulter and Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez tripped over Lacoste signs during their early round matches.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
7 June 2026
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The one thing that has tripped me up, however, is sourcing the perfect walking sneakers.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Hull pounded his fourth double of the game, prompting mass hysteria from the 3,913 Tar Heel fans and ultimate heartbreak in the other dugout.—
Alan Cole,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
Every stretch had brought its own challenges, but these past few days had been especially brutal, the crewmembers fording streams, inching through hub-deep mud, sleeping in the car, dodging hail under rubber blankets, catching a night’s rest at a farmhouse as violent rain pounded the roof.—
Eric Moskowitz,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Messed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messed%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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