MESSING Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

messing

verb

present participle of mess

as in interfering

to interest oneself in what is not one's concern please don't mess with me while I'm trying to concentrate

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of messing There was something a little therapeutic about messing it up. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 June 2026 No one can match her depth and passion to get vengeance on Krem of the Yellow Hills for messing with her family — a sentiment Cancers understand. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 Marilyn, Nixon, the Kennedys, Bay of Pigs—we’ve seen Ellroy messing with this material long before the Quintet. — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026 Countless Renditions Campbell’s wasn't the only one messing with the tomato soup cake formula. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 7 June 2026 Nevertheless, taking proactive steps to deal with hair, slime, soap scum, and other things messing with your pipes can save you a major plumbing headache down the line. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 2 June 2026 Punisher is messing with him, and the gun goes off. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 LeBron James loves messing with that nemesis named Father Time. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 14 May 2026 He was seen during his Tuesday practice round messing with his shoe and sock on his right foot before ultimately calling it quits. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for messing

Verb

In her role as well as elsewhere, Kalle downplays the explicit homophobia that might have rendered this a more simplistic allegory, making Asla less a figure of interfering jealousy than a woman who simply doesn’t want to be abandoned yet again.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 July 2026
The actions mark a sharp break with a US practice of handling bilateral disputes largely behind closed doors, and not openly interfering in Mexican politics.

— Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Definition of interfering

Verb

Instead, her dad looks under the table and sees a jumble of limbs with Chastain’s smiling face poking out at him.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 July 2026
This included one of their players poking a finger into the ear of the Belgian penalty-spot protector Diego Moreira, and responding to the reactionary elbow to the tummy by going down, and staying down, on top of the penalty mark.

— Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of poking

Verb

Cady had injected some narcotic into a Georgia peach to knock Natalie out ahead of his confrontation with Crystal on the houseboat, but Ray snooping around on the Bowdens’s behalf led to this deadly improvisation.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Her mother has become a fan but didn’t start out that way, unaware her high school had a soccer team until Garbowski went snooping in an old yearbook.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026