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
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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
Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 20 June 2026
The ghostly character doesn't have a particularly significant role in the story, but is a constant nuisance in the tapestry of Hogwarts with antics that include throwing things, making messes, pulling pranks, and generally causing mischief that enrages caretaker Argus Filch.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Tips To Keep Your Stove Grates Clean Longer Clean up spills and messes as soon as the burner and grates have cooled to prevent a buildup of residue.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
These devices have significant improvements from old-school vacuums, like long battery life, powerful suction, HEPA filtration to remove unwanted airborne particles, and wet-dry features to tackle the toughest messes.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026
But even using something like a sealable sandwich bag or the liner from your hotel’s ice bucket could go a long way toward preventing messes.
—Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
This performance rug is built for real life, as it’s designed to withstand heavy foot traffic and everyday messes.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
This lesson about making messes and then taking responsibility for them is wrapped in the cutest packaging—even your most stubborn toddler won’t be able to resist trying out cleaning the playroom for themselves.
—Parents, 5 June 2026
Instead of focusing on deep cleans or tackling big projects in a single sitting, these micro-cleans prevent messes from spiraling.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 2 June 2026
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Like that series, this movie messes with your mind by taking full advantage of creepy backroom spaces.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
When Kristi tells her this place messes with your mind, Mari tells her this is different.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
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
Noun
Without the right systems in place, messes can quickly get out of control and leave your space feeling messy.
—Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 20 June 2026
The ghostly character doesn't have a particularly significant role in the story, but is a constant nuisance in the tapestry of Hogwarts with antics that include throwing things, making messes, pulling pranks, and generally causing mischief that enrages caretaker Argus Filch.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Tips To Keep Your Stove Grates Clean Longer Clean up spills and messes as soon as the burner and grates have cooled to prevent a buildup of residue.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
These devices have significant improvements from old-school vacuums, like long battery life, powerful suction, HEPA filtration to remove unwanted airborne particles, and wet-dry features to tackle the toughest messes.
—Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026
But even using something like a sealable sandwich bag or the liner from your hotel’s ice bucket could go a long way toward preventing messes.
—Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
This performance rug is built for real life, as it’s designed to withstand heavy foot traffic and everyday messes.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
This lesson about making messes and then taking responsibility for them is wrapped in the cutest packaging—even your most stubborn toddler won’t be able to resist trying out cleaning the playroom for themselves.
—Parents, 5 June 2026
Instead of focusing on deep cleans or tackling big projects in a single sitting, these micro-cleans prevent messes from spiraling.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 2 June 2026
Verb
From pet hair to crumbs, this Shark handheld cordless vacuum cleaner can tackle messes large and small, thanks to strong suction and a self-cleaning brush that resists pet hair accumulation.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Like that series, this movie messes with your mind by taking full advantage of creepy backroom spaces.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
When Kristi tells her this place messes with your mind, Mari tells her this is different.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
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
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
-
Guests enjoy gourmet meals after days filled with hiking, biking, skiing, horseback riding, or fly fishing.—
Chelsea Adams,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters The law bans several synthetic dyes, including Red 40 and Yellow 5, from most K-12 school meals and vending machines, while also restricting SNAP recipients from using benefits to buy products such as soda and candy.—
Brandon Gomez,
CNBC,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
Foul odors coming from the Ocean Hill apartment led to a 911 call on Wednesday that revealed the place’s horrors.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
-
Aside from a bloodied ear here or there, most of the horrors in Leviticus are implied rather than shown.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
As one of Montana’s longest standing dude ranches, the property is constantly reimagining through refined design, a wildly impressive staff, and heaps of annual events bringing loads of travelers, from local to first-time ranchers alike.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
-
At Cattlemen’s, still newish from its $3 million remodeling, the menu leads with a 2-pound porterhouse ($95) and loads of Western steakhouse character.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
If Damascus interferes in Lebanon, sectarian violence could follow, as the Syrian military presence would likely be interpreted as direct opposition to Hezbollah’s Shiite fighters.—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
-
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
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
-
Even the sweet-and-spicy combinations showing up on menus this summer usually start with a base of garlic or ginger.—
Ascend Agency,
Sun Sentinel,
22 June 2026
-
Some options can be applied direct from the menu bar and the effects seen immediately, but others will bring up larger menus that partially hide a section of the main picture.—
Paul Ridden
June 22,
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
The couple recently appeared to have their sights on welcoming more children into their family, with Bunnie previously opening up about their in vitro fertilization journey.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
The ship docks close to town, public transport is nearby, and the main sights can be reached on foot.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messes. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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