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
Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
Boys are explorers at heart and often learn through play, making messes and adventures part of the journey.
—Bonnie Gibbs Vengrow, Parents, 3 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
These include small but powerful things, like making coffee, cleaning up messes, handling obscure admin tasks, managing owners and external reporting, managing cash flow, improving legal contracts, resolving legal conflicts—and staying positive amid times of extreme crisis.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
For most messes, a simple mix of a few drops of liquid dish soap in warm water should do the trick.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026
Family road trips also create constant exposure to food crumbs, drink spills, pet hair, and everyday messes that are difficult to avoid on long drives.
—New Atlas, 26 May 2026
Regular cleaning prevents odors, messes, and keeps your kitchen organized.
—Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 16 May 2026
Spills and messes always seem to happen at the worst possible time.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 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
Keep Vegetables Crisp A great example of uses for paper towels beyond cleaning messes is wrapping the disposable sheets around vegetables to keep them fresh and crisp in the refrigerator.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
Boys are explorers at heart and often learn through play, making messes and adventures part of the journey.
—Bonnie Gibbs Vengrow, Parents, 3 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
These include small but powerful things, like making coffee, cleaning up messes, handling obscure admin tasks, managing owners and external reporting, managing cash flow, improving legal contracts, resolving legal conflicts—and staying positive amid times of extreme crisis.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
For most messes, a simple mix of a few drops of liquid dish soap in warm water should do the trick.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026
Family road trips also create constant exposure to food crumbs, drink spills, pet hair, and everyday messes that are difficult to avoid on long drives.
—New Atlas, 26 May 2026
Regular cleaning prevents odors, messes, and keeps your kitchen organized.
—Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 16 May 2026
Spills and messes always seem to happen at the worst possible time.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 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 milk goats, walk down hydroponic rows, learn how edible flowers act as pollinators in pesticide-free ecosystems, and sit down for farm-to-table meals meant to spark conversation.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
The tote has a removable cooler pouch to keep meals and snacks separate from everyday items.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The humans use and abuse, like, 60 of us during an average NCAA game — and the horrors basically double for MLB.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
3 June 2026
-
At stake is whether millions of Black Americans will have a say in their future or if the South will descend into the horrors of Jim Crow.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
This means that a small engine can handle immense power loads without generating wasteful heat.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
Romance, steamy chemistry, and loads of pettiness — these are the staples of Love Island USA.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 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
-
That distinction matters more for vegetarians and vegans, who often get steered toward Western menus or pricey specialty restaurants abroad.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 June 2026
-
Older menus offered more pasta than steak, though over time, steak took center stage.—
David Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Boise nights are getting shorter in June, but they’re still filled with dazzling celestial sights.—
Hali Smith
June 4,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2026
-
Construction is already underway at two data center sites in Hoffman Estates, and a data center developer has set its sights on a third facility.—
Charlie De Mar,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messes. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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