1
as in fumbling
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
messed up the drawing and had to start over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stumbling
to make a mistake
if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messing (up)
Verb
-
Since the first release in December, critics have accused the administration of fumbling the rollout and withholding too many documents.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026 -
Since the first release in December, critics have accused the administration of fumbling the rollout and withholding too many documents.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The beams would be far brighter than the full moon and, even if carefully pointed, would scatter in the atmosphere to be very bright off-beam, disrupting wildlife and effectively destroying the sky’s remaining natural beauty by erasing the stars from our sight.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Then, last summer, LA became the first major US city to face large-scale ICE raids, stoking fear among undocumented immigrants and disrupting the restaurant workforce.—
Emily Wilson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The man then tripped, stumbling to the ground.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
How Species Actually Get Discovered Now The popular image of species discovery involves an explorer stumbling across a strange creature in an untouched jungle.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The spotless streets are polished nightly by the feet of families licking ice cream.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
-
On April 30, 2025, the dog was reportedly licking its tail and lethargic.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Wolves were determined to run him off the 3-point line in an effort to limit his effectiveness, but Bane countered by putting the ball on the floor and blowing by Minnesota’s perimeter defenders all game.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Ice crystals skittered across the plateau, catching in the curve of the sastrugi before blowing free.—
Cree LeFavour,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Olen Zellweger committed a tripping penalty in overtime, but Anaheim killed the four-on-three disadvantage.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Olen Zellweger committed a tripping penalty in overtime, but Anaheim killed the 4-on-3 disadvantage.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Using traditional Ukrainian folklore songs, voiceover plus pounding music, the stakes these young people confront become clearly apparent.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
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Everything around him pounding in its pulse, the song of the world thronging in all its discord.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the notice sent last spring was so vague and confusing that few people used it to object.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The company’s messaging has been confusing and has at various points seemed to contradict its own previous statements, as well as information from the government.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Messing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messing%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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