as in mess
a state in which everything is out of order
a professional chef would not tolerate such messiness in the kitchen
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Recent Examples of messiness
But the image of the jovial professor, divorced from the messiness of the politics of the day after his own resignation in a COVID-era scandal in 2022, didn’t quite square with the reality of his time in Miami.
—
Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
But that messiness is how students learn.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
This realization initiated a generations-long mission in humanity to, like plants, disintermediate ourselves from the messiness and immorality of food chains, farming, and carnivorism.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
Just like trying to drive around while spreading ketchup on a carton of French fries, the brand’s origin story is not without its messiness.
—Amanda Hancock, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The literal messiness of the lotion, combined with the chaos of the interaction between Black and McCarthy’s characters, took me back to the nostalgia of watching SNL in high school.
—Rima Parikh, Vulture, 5 Apr. 2026
Despite the messiness of her subject matter, Parks can sound very studied.
—Aimee Cliff, Pitchfork, 3 Apr. 2026
But the messiness has been almost charming to me — even the biggest boy band in the world can’t control everything!
—Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
The lessons that endure are about constraint and invention, messiness and coordination, contradiction and persistence—about intervening directly and fearlessly in material reality.
—Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
But that messiness is how students learn.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
This realization initiated a generations-long mission in humanity to, like plants, disintermediate ourselves from the messiness and immorality of food chains, farming, and carnivorism.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
Just like trying to drive around while spreading ketchup on a carton of French fries, the brand’s origin story is not without its messiness.
—Amanda Hancock, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The literal messiness of the lotion, combined with the chaos of the interaction between Black and McCarthy’s characters, took me back to the nostalgia of watching SNL in high school.
—Rima Parikh, Vulture, 5 Apr. 2026
Despite the messiness of her subject matter, Parks can sound very studied.
—Aimee Cliff, Pitchfork, 3 Apr. 2026
But the messiness has been almost charming to me — even the biggest boy band in the world can’t control everything!
—Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
The lessons that endure are about constraint and invention, messiness and coordination, contradiction and persistence—about intervening directly and fearlessly in material reality.
—Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
Noun
-
Becerra blunder The first ad that grabbed my attention was a quick-turn by San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan (still stuck in single-digit polling numbers), who jumped on Xavier Becerra’s first major mess-up.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
That way, the bristles can cling to your skincare products instead of dripping into the brush’s base and making a mess.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Steady footsteps changed from an organized march into chaos as civil rights protesters fled the attacks of police.—
Sarah Clifton,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
-
Somewhere in the chaos, a stylist balances an iced latte, three phones and a couture gown worth more than a Riviera apartment.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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
-
The inconsistent role wreaked havoc with his shot.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Just ask Panthers guard Robert Hunt, who has stories about Eagles fans climbing onto opposing team buses and wreaking havoc.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Constant changes and slow IRS guidance led to widespread confusion and, eventually, abuse that forced the IRS to put a moratorium on claims on September 14, 2023 until August 8, 2024.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
-
So there’s little doubt that the emergence of jumbo-size Messi’s across America’s lawns create more intrigue than confusion, even in a nation where soccer as a whole remains a second-tier sport.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Maybe someday, someone will make a musical about a movie based on a musical that goes to hell when all of the top-level producers and creatives go to war against each other.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
12 May 2026
-
The characters then cross the nine concentric circles of hell, beginning with Limbo and then various circles where the souls of those who commit different sins end up.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messiness. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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