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 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 Either way, Angela’s slip is definitely showing in terms of behind-the-scenes messiness (seriously, enough is enough with the cheating stories! — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026 Alcock’s scrappy characterization, tempering Kara’s jaded toughness and chaotic messiness with an increasingly strong sense of justice, would seem an ideal fit to continue in a similar vein. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
  1. mess
  2. chaos
  3. jumble
  4. havoc
  5. confusion
  6. hell
Noun
  • Washable Orthopedic Dog Bed A versatile, waterproof dog bed mat that’s great for crates, travel and high-mess pups.
    — Jessica Moore, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Be careful to not use too much, or you’ll be left with a soapy mess.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • For a series built around the unsettling idea of collective perfection, Pluribus works because each department thrived in the chaos of creation.
    — Deadline, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike now, when Google is widely seen as both portal and gatekeeper, sites like AltaVista, Lycos, Excite, HotBot, and Ask Jeeves promised to tame the chaos, each with its own suite of quirks, charms, and flaws.
    — Alan Bradley, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 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
  • Iran has aimed significant firepower at its neighbors’ refineries, oil exports and tourist attractions, inflicting economic havoc on the Gulf states and the countries that do business with them.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • This can create a tricky situation if those roots are causing havoc around your home’s foundation or otherwise disrupting your landscaping.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • Clear terms keep care from turning into confusion later on today.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The confusion comes from treating two different problems as one.
    — Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • By this point in the Tom Holland era, the idea of the multiverse had been introduced and popularized — hell, the Spider-Man franchise already centered it in Into the Spider-Verse three years prior.
    — Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The game is also not easy; there’s a lot of bullet hell here, and many rooms are tight and filled with hazards and enemies.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 31 July 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 11 Aug. 2026.

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