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 is a movie designed to repulse as much attract, and one in which its sheer messiness, its chaos-Muppet energy and its mania gets you uncomfortably close to its unraveling main character’s mindset.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
But risk has become uninsurable, and messiness doesn’t test well.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
And yet, within that messiness, there is occasional emotional truth here.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
What was once rebellion now reads as retro — authenticity repackaged for an audience yearning for the very messiness that once made those earlier actors feel so real.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
He is drawn to designers, such as the interior stylist Colin King, who seek to instill a space with a kind of wabi-sabi messiness—the equivalent of a rumpled haircut from the Sally Hershberger salon.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Indeed, all the actors seem genuinely committed to their parts, which gives everything a convincing gravity that feels true, and which runs counter to the jokey messiness of so many modern horror sequels.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Live Translation, in aiming to fix all that messiness in an algorithm streamed through Bluetooth earbuds, is not opening human communication up so much as flattening it.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
The messiness is prompting some Democrats to call for the party to be more aggressive in influencing primaries, Politico reports.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
But risk has become uninsurable, and messiness doesn’t test well.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
And yet, within that messiness, there is occasional emotional truth here.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
What was once rebellion now reads as retro — authenticity repackaged for an audience yearning for the very messiness that once made those earlier actors feel so real.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
He is drawn to designers, such as the interior stylist Colin King, who seek to instill a space with a kind of wabi-sabi messiness—the equivalent of a rumpled haircut from the Sally Hershberger salon.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Indeed, all the actors seem genuinely committed to their parts, which gives everything a convincing gravity that feels true, and which runs counter to the jokey messiness of so many modern horror sequels.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Live Translation, in aiming to fix all that messiness in an algorithm streamed through Bluetooth earbuds, is not opening human communication up so much as flattening it.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
The messiness is prompting some Democrats to call for the party to be more aggressive in influencing primaries, Politico reports.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
Noun
-
Second shift is a real mess after a blackout strikes the area, forcing Robert (by way of the player) to hack into the city’s electric grid and turn the lights back on one section at a time.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
-
For larger messes, the stain-resistant rug is also machine-washable for quick and hassle-free maintenance.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Later, Venezuelans fled economic chaos and lawlessness under the repressive regimes of Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The sun in Capricorn dictates a show that speaks to the need for order in times of chaos, as well as the hierarchy of the mob family and the rules required to be a member.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Christian Barmore created a little more havoc against the run and pass than usual, but his only pressure was contained to the second quarter.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
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Dewan shared Fillion's sense of the havoc Monica is likely to cause in season 8.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Toys are supposed to be fun and exciting for children, while some are also educational, but a few products aimed at kids have caused a wave of confusion among adults.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Clarity awaits amid confusion, Libra.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
They were doomed to perish in the fires of hell.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Shown with a gun in hand and looking disheveled, Creasy seems like he’s been through hell and back.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messiness. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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