MESSES Synonyms: 314 Similar and Opposite Words

messes 1 of 2

noun

plural of mess

as in jumbles

a state in which everything is out of order the bachelor party had left the house in a total mess

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as in meals

food eaten or prepared for eating at one time a mess of oatmeal

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as in horrors

something unpleasant to look at the car was a mess after the accident

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visions

as in loads

a considerable amount an unexpected Super Bowl loss that unleashed a whole mess of finger-pointing and second-guessing

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messes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mess

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

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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 messes

Noun

Run it over hard floors and carpets to suck up debris, then convert it into a handheld vacuum to tackle above-floor messes. — Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 In the busiest area of the house, your toilet may need daily attention to clean stains and messes. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2026 Typically, PAs are putting in 60-hour workweeks, and their duties can include everything from running errands to cleaning up messes to managing the general public when filming takes place in a location and impedes foot or car traffic. — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 The messes are bigger, and Joe’s mop and bucket just won’t cut it. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026 Perfect for stashing in lunch boxes, the convenient squeezable pouches help keep messes to a minimum. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026 The organization, which is responsible for cleaning up the messes after superhero battles, has something that Jean wants locked inside a vault. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026 Make sure to do this over the sink or outside to prevent messes! — Nicole Harris, Parents, 18 July 2026 According to Knoll, this tool alone may remove up to 90% of messes. — Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026

Verb

Ships, like airplanes, are designed with fluid dynamics in mind, and biofoul seriously messes that up. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 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

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

Definition of jumbles

Noun

One study even shows that doing small quick exercises, such as a 10-to-15-minute walk after meals, over one long workout might be more beneficial to reducing the chances of heart disease.

— Audrey Noble, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026
Researchers have identified thousands of snakes and lizards in this geological record, many of which became meals for local predators.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of meals

Noun

What is also clear is that while Disney may or may not have first heard of the horrors Lee went through in 2001 just a few months ago, this four-claim action is not the first time the actress has had lawyers involved fallout from Poof Point.

— Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 Aug. 2026
Also missing is any clear acknowledgment of Singer’s fear for the horrors in store for Antonapoulos, and the dramatic irony created by Antonapoulos’ own seeming obliviousness to how his life is being upended.

— Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrors

Noun

The team must improve the fabrication process, scale up the laser power, and determine whether the ceramic waveguides can maintain their optical performance under much higher loads.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
The rocket planes tested reaction-control systems for maneuvering where the air was too thin for normal aerodynamic controls, while gathering data on heating, stability, structural loads, human performance and piloting techniques during reentry.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of loads

Verb

But as China’s 2018 detention of two Canadian citizens after Canada arrested a Huawei executive showed, the party readily interferes in the legal system when important interests are at stake.

— Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Here’s when to watch and how to catch the best views before bright moonlight interferes.

— Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of interferes

Noun

The Avici hell is the lowest and most terrible level of the eight hot hells of Buddhism, where those who’ve committed serious crimes (like parricide) must face constant suffering.

— Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
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

Definition of hells

Noun

Now, Buffalo Wild Wings and Taco Bell have launched their own throwback menus.

— Mike Snider, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
Our rotating menus include items children can prepare on their own or with limited assistance, giving families flexibility while ensuring students have something dependable to eat.

— Fred Hassell, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of menus

Noun

But weeks after the largest IPO in history, Musk talked more about the moon during SpaceX’s first earnings call, which investors say is a strategic threshold that will likely be crossed before SpaceX can fully set its sights on Mars.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
And Freddie had his sights set on becoming a CPA and taking over his dad’s business.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026