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 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 After the messiness of The Process and its after-effects, putting someone as calculated as James into that environment is bizarre. — Jason Jones, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Moonstruck is a thoughtful exploration on the sheer messiness of love, guided by Cher’s Academy Award-winning performance and a tour-de-force screenplay written by John Patrick Shanley. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026 Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
  1. mess
  2. chaos
  3. jumble
  4. havoc
  5. confusion
  6. hell
Noun
  • Plus, don’t miss out on handy finds like this handheld vacuum that makes quick work of small messes in tight spaces and an insulated Yeti tumbler that keeps water cold all day long.
    — Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026
  • One of Amy’s charges is a mess of a young mother who has had all three of her children taken away from her by the state.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Chaos fatigue isn’t the only side dish being served with the recent rash of court orders; chaos consequences appear to be on a platter as well.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The court, in the unanimous decision, placed the blame for the chaos directly at Hoskins.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 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
  • Although not a direct hit, Lala dumped nearly 3 feet of rain on the Big Island, bringing widespread havoc.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the movie, a group of teens accidentally release a bunch of monsters from Stine’s book collection, creating complete havoc and plenty of great family-friendly frights.
    — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • The company, which offers credit cards used to make rent and mortgage payments, had fumbled a critical transition, leading to confusion and financial stress for its customers.
    — Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Aggregators typically disclose this information in their search filters, and knowing it in advance avoids confusion on arrival.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • University email reply-all hell is one of many high jinks that form this bubbly little British rom-com.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • An episode of septicemia, with its hells and paradises, its nightmares and hallucinations, transforms Borges into a story writer.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 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 7 Sep. 2026.

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