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
as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
having a messy room is virtually de rigueur for a college student
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messiness
Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025
Cream Corn Shucking corn is one of the messiest kitchen tasks there is, nevertheless, Southerners persist, because cream corn is one of the most blissful summer dishes.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
The movies were messy, and didn’t seem interested in building toward an overarching plan.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 May 2025
Bring Her Back is still a messy endeavor, even with what feels like a newfound discipline, not to mention a superior grasp of pacing and catch-release tension, happening behind the camera.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for messiness
Adjective
But he’s had his share of troubles, including an eight-month prison stint in 2010 on a weapon charge, a series of seizures that required hospitalization and messy, public battles with his record label.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025
Cream Corn Shucking corn is one of the messiest kitchen tasks there is, nevertheless, Southerners persist, because cream corn is one of the most blissful summer dishes.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
The movies were messy, and didn’t seem interested in building toward an overarching plan.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 May 2025
Bring Her Back is still a messy endeavor, even with what feels like a newfound discipline, not to mention a superior grasp of pacing and catch-release tension, happening behind the camera.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for messiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
Noun
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The teaser at the end of this week’s hour-long episode promises bonafide flagship mess: Obnoxious guests, police coming onboard, deckhand Kyle apparently hooking up with a guest.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 June 2025
-
It’s been a rush, a whirlwind, a chaotic mess — all descriptors that could lovingly apply to the Ghouls music.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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Residents say the chaotic clashes between federal immigration authorities and protesters on Saturday left them shaken.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
-
One of the most prolific voice actors in the business, Baker has made a career out of bringing animals, creatures, and the occasional chaotic alien to life.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
Antonia Gentry as Ginny Miller Ginny is an artful soul who has internalized the chaos of her upbringing as the child of a loving, but lawless mother.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
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Great news, peaches: The chaos in Wellsbury is far from over.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
There were loud boos at half-time, a smattering in the closing minutes and a few more at the final whistle as England played without any real intensity, were sloppy in possession and struggled to break down a team more than happy to sit everyone behind the ball.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
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Both players were sloppy in the first set, conceding 21 break-point chances and making 48 unforced errors between them, with Sabalenka making 32 yet still winning the set.—
Jerome Pugmire,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
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Instead, voters themselves are jumbles of competing and sometimes contradictory interests.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The adventurer turns out to be a wild champion of havoc who alienates friends and demolishes any social scene.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
-
Suddenly, Nicky, who Chloe has erased from her life, is back in the picture and causing havoc as the police investigate the murder and zero in on Ethan, who had tensions with his father.—
Nina Metz Chicago Tribune,
Boston Herald,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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The Justice Department similarly told the Supreme Court that some lower courts are confused about how to evaluate multiple IQ tests under Supreme Court rules for what counts as cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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It’s become the subject of much conversation at Variety, and Erickson is similarly confused.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Some of those who chose to evacuate didn’t do so promptly, and there was widespread confusion whether evacuation was necessary at all.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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Two recent scientific reviews performed by the British National Health Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found little scientific support for the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgery for youth with gender confusion.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messiness. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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