1
as in jumbles
a state in which everything is out of order
the bachelor party had left the house in a total mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in meals
food eaten or prepared for eating at one time
a mess of oatmeal
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in horrors
something unpleasant to look at
the car was a mess after the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in loads
a considerable amount
an unexpected Super Bowl loss that unleashed a whole mess of finger-pointing and second-guessing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in interferes
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
please don't mess with me while I'm trying to concentrate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messes
Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 16 May 2026
Save yourself from heavy scrubbing later and wipe interior messes while the microwave is still steamy from use.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
Spills and messes always seem to happen at the worst possible time.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
An employee who had so far been exemplary, cleaning the messes that her family made.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
Plus, don’t miss out on home must-haves like a handheld vacuum that tackles small messes with ease and a plush bathroom rug that’s only $9 right now.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
The multipurpose surface cleaner provides a powerful clean to tackle messes in a stylish, reusable bottle.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
This time, the NFL’s strategy for a potential lockout includes using technology to clean up the replacement refs’ potential messes, via centralized decision-making from the league’s Manhattan offices.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Your goal is to remove messes, not smear them.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
Keerti Gopal, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
This rug can stand up to all your pets’ messes with its durable fibers that are easy to spot-clean.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
The latter may be tied to iron deficiency from irregular periods, plus the drop in estrogen, which messes with the dopamine activity that regulates muscle control.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026
Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
In Lost Lambs, the internet sabotages a family in much the same way that Napoleon messes things up for the Bezukhovs in Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
—Gideon Leek, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Somebody does something terrible and messes it up.
—Giana Levy, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
Regular cleaning prevents odors, messes, and keeps your kitchen organized.
—Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 16 May 2026
Save yourself from heavy scrubbing later and wipe interior messes while the microwave is still steamy from use.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
Spills and messes always seem to happen at the worst possible time.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
An employee who had so far been exemplary, cleaning the messes that her family made.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
Plus, don’t miss out on home must-haves like a handheld vacuum that tackles small messes with ease and a plush bathroom rug that’s only $9 right now.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
The multipurpose surface cleaner provides a powerful clean to tackle messes in a stylish, reusable bottle.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
This time, the NFL’s strategy for a potential lockout includes using technology to clean up the replacement refs’ potential messes, via centralized decision-making from the league’s Manhattan offices.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Your goal is to remove messes, not smear them.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
But pollen also messes with sleep, ups the risk of sinus infections, causes people to miss school and work, and can pose more serious dangers.
—Keerti Gopal, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
This rug can stand up to all your pets’ messes with its durable fibers that are easy to spot-clean.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
The latter may be tied to iron deficiency from irregular periods, plus the drop in estrogen, which messes with the dopamine activity that regulates muscle control.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026
Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
In Lost Lambs, the internet sabotages a family in much the same way that Napoleon messes things up for the Bezukhovs in Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
—Gideon Leek, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Somebody does something terrible and messes it up.
—Giana Levy, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messes
Noun
-
Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Thermolon Volt ceramic nonstick is designed especially for kitchen electrics, meaning PFAS-free, healthier meals and food slides right off.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
-
More than 1,000 students took advantage of that opportunity last year, sitting in on classes and meals, attending social events and sleeping over.—
Jon Marcus,
NPR,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Yenor’s suggestion that feminism—with its attendant horrors of work outside the home, birth control, and financial independence—has made women neurotic and dependent on pharmaceuticals is now an article of faith on the right.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
-
While the camera is locked into Dua’s perspective, the world outside her peripheral vision changes radically in ways we aren’t allowed to see; the corner of the frame practically become a venue from which to intuit horrors.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
There are loads of under-the-radar towns along these states' coastlines that have their own unique charms and draws.—
Amy Thomas,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
-
Buckle up for loads of action and a wild ride through SoCal history and haunts.—
Paula L. Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
This act interferes greatly with local departments of planning and development for erroneous climate protocols enacted by Ronald Regan.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
This is where Earth’s atmosphere interferes least.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Smith stays largely mum on the news of the day, be that Kirk’s killing, or ICE raids, or whatever hells await in the coming weeks.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
-
The protagonist's youth doesn't defang the story, as Silent Hill f wastes no time thrusting Hinako and her friends into their personal hells.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And that’s evident in so many facets in museums on Route 66, in neon signs and galleries, on menus that have been there, operating for decades and decades.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
-
Most of the Chiefs references at the restaurant, meanwhile, can be found on the food and drink menus.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
While there are no landmark sights in this area, the neighboring cityscape and gardens add an energy that weary road warriors can appreciate.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
-
Mars has been in Psyche’s sights since early May, with the planet appearing as a steadily growing and surprisingly bright crescent in the approaching spacecraft’s view.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messes. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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