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
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 27 June 2025
And don’t forget to make your cleanup a breeze with this Eufy robot vacuum that’s $230 off for Prime members — the self-emptying machine uses smart technology to detect messy areas and does the cleaning for you.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 27 June 2025
This is ultimately about making sense of messy, real-world data.
—Steve Taplin, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Take it from me, a writer who tests sneakers for a living: The best shoe racks, shelves, and other storage options instantly add order to a chaotic closet or messy mudroom.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for messiness
Adjective
Meanwhile, the bride, who typically lets her medium brown mane fly free, pulled her back into a messy ponytail on Thursday night.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 27 June 2025
And don’t forget to make your cleanup a breeze with this Eufy robot vacuum that’s $230 off for Prime members — the self-emptying machine uses smart technology to detect messy areas and does the cleaning for you.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 27 June 2025
This is ultimately about making sense of messy, real-world data.
—Steve Taplin, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Take it from me, a writer who tests sneakers for a living: The best shoe racks, shelves, and other storage options instantly add order to a chaotic closet or messy mudroom.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for messiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messiness
Noun
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Similarly, homeowners who enjoy entertaining might prioritize a scullery or prep kitchen/pantry to keep the party mess out of view.—
Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin,
Southern Living,
26 June 2025
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In the wacky political world of Southeast Los Angeles County — where scandals seem to bloom every year with the regularity of jacarandas — there’s never been a mess as pendejo as the one stirred up this week by Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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In the chaotic final stretch of the vote-a-rama, GOP leaders zeroed in on Murkowski, working to address her concerns about the bill’s financial effect on Alaska.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
1 July 2025
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What surprised me the most Despite a chaotic global economy, brand spending reductions and a cautious outlook on growth, the spending and cash was flowing, flowing, flowing.—
David Doty,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Among the chaos is Rupert Friend, playing Martin Krebs, who's assembling a group to take to the scene of the devastation in hopes of extracting DNA from the creatures roaming the island to fund his next medical breakthrough.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
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Learn how to meal prep like a pro, create quick and nutritious grab-and-go options, and master time-saving hacks that keep you energized without the morning chaos.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Crystal Skull is easily Spielberg’s laziest, sloppiest work — even the action sequences seem phoned-in — and it’s filled with unforgivable howlers: Shia LaBeouf’s limp attempt at being a bad boy, Cate Blanchett’s hammy villain, the goddamn fridge scene.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
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The Cardinals took full advantage of the sloppy inning, scoring five runs on the way to clobbering the Sox 12-2 in front of 16,974 at Rate Field.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
18 June 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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Instead, voters themselves are jumbles of competing and sometimes contradictory interests.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The narrow streets bend, wrap back on themselves, and otherwise create directional havoc.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
24 June 2025
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The consent decree clears a major hurdle for the Omnicom-IPG deal, with the companies seeking to merge as artificial intelligence prepares to wreck havoc across the industry.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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College admission often feels like a similar face-off between families, leaving them confused, concerned, and conjecturing.—
Brennan Barnard,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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The text, translated from French, is presented partly in comics-style word bubbles, and the illustrations of confused, anxious, and increasingly exasperated animals tell a great story in any language.—
Caroline Carlson
June 30,
Literary Hub,
30 June 2025
Noun
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That means naming the fear, the confusion and even the shame that might arise.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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That temptation, rich in moral confusion, runs through Leonardland, onscreen as on the page.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messiness. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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