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messiness

noun

Definition of messinessnext
as in mess
a state in which everything is out of order a professional chef would not tolerate such messiness in the kitchen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 messiness This collection does not beautify quotidian messiness but shows us how love celebrates our imperfections. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 After months of further reporting, handwringing, mud-slinging and general messiness, the NBA dropped the hammer yesterday. — Chris Branch, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 We were immediately drawn to Rick Donald’s sharp, heartfelt comedy about the messiness of family and being forced to grow up. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026 The result was an album that turned the intimate messiness of Winehouse’s life into something both musically timeless and culturally seismic. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026 Those who are furthest away from owning the messiness of implementation, are more likely to feel the matter is settled. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 Crowley suggests the messiness of the primary is because the President is messing with Democrats’ heads. — Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Aug. 2026 Choreographed spectacle is easier, in some sense, than contending with the messiness of the workaday world. — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Consider the mature height and width of your tree before planting it, as well as any potential problems with messiness or invasive roots. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
  1. mess
  2. chaos
  3. jumble
  4. havoc
  5. confusion
  6. hell
Noun
  • One person may be disappointed by your choice, but overextending yourself could create a bigger mess.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Styptic pencils, made with the same fast-acting aluminum sulfate, are reusable and packaged with a protective cap to prevent mess.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Today chaos gives bad people the opportunity to advance their own nefarious agendas with little regards for the American people.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Democrats, especially under President Joe Biden, spent years treating border enforcement as optional, and the chaos that followed put American safety at risk.
    — Don Bacon, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of chaos
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 jumble
Noun
  • In Miami Hurricanes defensive coordinator Corey Heteherman’s system, everything starts with creating havoc up front.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The secondary is experienced and has shown a knack for causing havoc against opposing quarterbacks.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • Trump announced his ban in a post Friday, causing some confusion in the White House as crews from the outelts remained onsite.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
  • This confusion of terms, says Breau, is in part because of the way American law looks at psychedelics and religion.
    — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • The swarm of hell shall breathe up from the furnace that warms it, and over which Satan himself shall preside.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Queenie also visits her personal hell and the fates of LaLaurie and Laveau.
    — Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of hell

Browse Nearby Words

messily
messiness
messing
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Cite this Entry

“Messiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messiness. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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