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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
  • Supporters say changing the clocks disrupts sleep, increases workplace injuries and contributes to more road accidents.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • These numbers complicate the picture of a state workforce unhappy with a new policy that some workers say disrupts their daily lives and question if returning to the office could bring health risks, longer commutes, lost time and higher gas costs.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupts
Verb
  • But here, too, Wladyka stumbles, opting for a comforting but pat ending about how dance and art enliven so many lives.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Early in the book, there’s a disturbing scene in which Cathy’s mother stumbles upon a half naked 10-year-old Cathy lying on the floor beneath two teenage boys.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 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
  • This confuses each Nyota but also those around them, who note that the Nyotas have rather quickly assumed new hairstyles but also that neither is behaving quite like herself.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Retreat to the previous paragraph if the question confuses you.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 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 4 Oct. 2026.

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