1
as in fumbles
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
messed up the drawing and had to start over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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)
Verb
-
While both teams were in position to flip some results, the Ravens have to feel a little snakebitten with how their games have played out, including a couple of fourth-quarter Derrick Henry fumbles.—
Scott Chasen,
Kansas City Star,
28 Sep. 2025 -
Baltimore is smarting from that Monday home loss to Deroit -- but Crows would be 3-0 if not for a pair of Derrick Henry fumbles.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Once Hughes plays the ball towards Lacroix, Mateta (red) disrupts City’s central zonal defender, Ruben Dias, and the rest of the Palace attackers diverge towards different zones inside the penalty area.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
What Happens Next As AI disrupts the hiring process across different industries, Thompson anticipates more companies could pull back on hiring altogether.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After a rocky start, Joey stumbles on some talents and goes to great lengths to impress Leonard in his audition for a play.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Yet, when a star athlete—the rival who excels at everything—finally stumbles in a sport, a subtle surge of neurological pleasure briefly ignites.—
Richard Menger MD MPA,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When asked the question, the owl takes the lollipop and licks it three times before chomping down on its hard shell exterior and handing the stick back to the child.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement Something about the investigation feels off, though—especially once Evelyn blows into the police station like a force of nature, directing officers who hang on her words.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The two Catholic Central League foes went back and forth, trading blows.—
Greg Dudek,
Boston Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The disinformation pushed by these types of influencers confuses audiences, leaves them less informed, and erodes trust in actual journalism.—
Taylor Lorenz,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Without it, greenwashing confuses customers and slows adoption.—
Marianne Lehnis,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There are ghosts and spirits, horror episodes, trips back into the ‘70s, the odd touch of a Western.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Focusing on the lifestyle factor that most trips you up is likely to have a greater impact on your health, London said.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Messes (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messes%20%28up%29. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share