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
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
That’s just the unpredictability of the internet and the messiness of online culture.
—Ben Pettis, The Conversation, 3 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
Somehow Taparjan finds a way to reckon with her own messiness with vulnerability and lets go of the blame and shame game that many parents, children and siblings fall into.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
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
That’s just the unpredictability of the internet and the messiness of online culture.
—Ben Pettis, The Conversation, 3 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
Somehow Taparjan finds a way to reckon with her own messiness with vulnerability and lets go of the blame and shame game that many parents, children and siblings fall into.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
Noun
-
The Mets are almost always a chaotic mess, and Cora has worked hard to put the Astros scandal behind him.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Homeowners dealing with drainage issues already know how pooling water can damage plants and create a mess.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The table at the center of the room balances like a top on a single point, serving as a metaphor for the challenge of finding balance amid the chaos.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
My house isn't particularly quiet, though, with three under four constantly running around causing chaos.—
Joe Salas
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 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
-
If there’s trust on the back end, James can move up closer to the line of scrimmage to make plays and wreak havoc.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
For Trudeau, this week’s wildfires are yet another sign that climate change is wreaking havoc on natural ecosystems and increasing fire activity across the country, including in historically humid landscapes.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Invite someone in, agree on a clear next step, and follow through together so momentum builds without confusion or mixed signals.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
-
After shooting, there was initial confusion as to what had happened before journalists were able to reach their news outlets to report the details of what unfolded.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This autumn, though, the feminist alt-rock icons are finally giving us one hell of a sonic supernova.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But, this specific adaptation could be equally advantaged by presenting an imagined hell within our lesser, present one.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messiness. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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