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messes (up)

verb

present tense third-person singular of mess (up)
1
as in fumbles
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way messed up the drawing and had to start over

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disrupts
to undo the proper order or arrangement of a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stumbles
to make a mistake if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again

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4
as in licks
to strike repeatedly threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for messes (up)
  1. fumbles
  2. disrupts
  3. stumbles
  4. licks
  5. blows
  6. confuses
  7. trips
  8. pounds
Verb
  • DeLand was driving inside the 20 yard line and Taihj Moore fumbles, recovered by Lake Mary.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Buford scored 17 points off three Gainesville fumbles on punt plays.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of fumbles
Verb
  • According to the 2025 Global Sleep Survey by Resmed, a medical device company, 39% of respondents said their partner disrupts their sleep at least once a week.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The 2025 Global Sleep Survey from medical device company Resmed found that 39% of respondents said their partner disrupts their sleep at least once a week.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupts
Verb
  • Byron Nelson stumbles again Normally an area power, Trophy Club Byron Nelson is off to a rocky start.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Camp’s turn here as a kooky neighbor who stumbles into an unexpected romance is exactly the kind of role that gets a room talking (and laughing).
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of stumbles
Verb
  • That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.
    — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of licks
Verb
  • Policymakers' ignorance of oil market mechanics becomes clear only when geopolitics enters the picture and blows it all to hell, either figuratively or literally.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The exhaust port blows to the rear to allow for quick cleaning of leaves and grass clippings.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of blows
Verb
  • Retreat to the previous paragraph if the question confuses you.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Any adversary who confuses media noise with American weakness will discover the truth the hard way.
    — Michael Loria, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of confuses
Verb
  • And as the cops try to arrest them, only to realize their own jails aren’t accessible, the film expresses perfectly how the government trips over its own feet while resisting inevitable change.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Wheeler trips more often now and no longer rides his scooter around the cul de sac because of his deteriorating vision and poor coordination.
    — Gerry Smith, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of trips
Verb
  • Higher prices come as Ukraine pounds Russian refineries, forcing Moscow to ban diesel exports.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Part of the problem is that every summer, water pounds down on sidewalks in the Treasure Valley, drops rippling on glassy reflective surfaces, all because of sprinkler jets overshooting the grass and landing on pavement.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of pounds
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.

Browse Nearby Words

messes over
messes (up)
messes (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Messes (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messes%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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