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
Kelsey Lentz, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Debate and occasional messiness is part of normal partisan politics.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2025
ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2025
Markel, 41, a Harvard law grad, was a prominent Florida State University law professor who shared custody of his two toddlers with his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, in an ongoing custody dispute after their messy 2013 divorce.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messiness
Noun
The coming-of-age drama does a great job at capturing the messiness of young love, but off-screen, several of the cast members are in happy, long-term relationships.
—Kelsey Lentz, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Debate and occasional messiness is part of normal partisan politics.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Packing in actual ice usually leads to a messy meltwater issue, potentially spreading pathogens (particularly from seafood), while cold gel packs are contained within plastic sleeves that are bulky and not compostable.
—ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2025
Markel, 41, a Harvard law grad, was a prominent Florida State University law professor who shared custody of his two toddlers with his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, in an ongoing custody dispute after their messy 2013 divorce.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
Noun
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But the fourth quarter was a mess until the Fighting Irish’s final possession.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
1 Sep. 2025
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Black and Decker QuickClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum Looking for a quick and convenient way to clean small messes in your home and car?—
Melody Kazel,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For instance, Heming Willis worried that loud noises and chaotic scenes could trigger agitation in her husband, leading her to cut down on playdates and sleepovers for their daughters.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
27 Aug. 2025
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In the chaotic environment of our young solar system, small rocky and icy bodies called planetesimals crashed into one another at high speed.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Bovino relies on Border Patrol SWAT-style teams to avoid the chaos that erupted during an hourslong standoff at a Home Depot in Paramount on June 7.—
Elliot Spagat,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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This project became both an ethnographic and photographic study of how women inhabit, resist, and reimagine their roles in a context denned by deep contradictions – beauty and chaos, devotion and repression, tradition and transformation.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Roomy usually means sloppy; structured can mean stiff.—
Dan Michel,
Robb Report,
27 Aug. 2025
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This means being a little sloppy, and not trying to nail every single piece of copy.—
Tarun Galagali,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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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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Baker also leads the orchestra, which sounds grand — although the sound in the arts center’s Pugh Theater often left musicians, lead singers and chorus all at the same level, with actors speaking over all of it at the same time to create a sonic jumble.—
Matthew J. Palm,
Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In May 2012, the site was cluttered with tractors and rusting farm equipment.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Real-world settings are often messy, characterized by cluttered floors, moving people, low lighting and unstructured layouts.—
Ashutosh Saxena,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Behind it, a monsoon storm swept in, unleashing torrential rain, howling winds and lightning that knocked out power to thousands and caused havoc across the Valley.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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Defensively, coach Todd Bowles is emphasizing more big plays and counting on free-agent pass rusher Haason Reddick to create havoc.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Their clashes are purposefully hectic and confused, the better for questioning rather than glorifying acts of violence.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
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Ostapenko appears visibly confused and shakes her head multiple times as the argument carries on.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messiness. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
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