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
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Yet, as any visitor stalled in traffic or fumbling for cash to top up a transit card discovers, the old Seoul persists beneath the new.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026 -
What to know about the Patriots-Texans game Despite three turnovers and Drake Maye fumbling four times, the Patriots held on to beat the Houston Texans, 28-16.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a panel conversation on Friday, Georgieva said that AI is already disrupting labor markets worldwide by shifting demand for skills employers seek, and might even boost earnings for some workers by improving productivity.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
23 Jan. 2026
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Kelly, alongside a mob of activists, allegedly stormed Cities Church over the weekend, disrupting a Sunday sermon based on allegations that one of the pastors, David Easterwood, is an ICE official.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These are just some of the most prominent, powerful bootlickers stumbling right now on their own deceit and desperation.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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The Russians had made a mistake, with Sikharulidze stumbling out of a double axel.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
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England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, California continued blowing money on a high-speed rail project that is years behind schedule and billions over budget, was bilked for billions in fraud, and funded an anti-homelessness bureaucracy with no accountability, among other things.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
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The idea is not only to speed up the time for AI systems to respond, but also to enable larger context windows, add quality checks on answers and keep AI features turned on for more users without blowing past budgets.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Reviewers say that this model’s eco mode outputs just the right amount of heat without tripping your breaker.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
23 Jan. 2026
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The operators likely see green lights and stable voltage readings on their screens even as transformers are overloading and breakers are tripping in the physical world.—
Saman Zonouz,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Archival footage illustrates, in pulse-pounding and nerve-rattling fashion, just how widespread calls for Rushdie’s murder were.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
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By Jason Mackey Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PALM BEACH GARDENS — The pop of a catcher’s mitt mixed with saws screeching and hammers pounding provides an appropriate soundtrack inside Paul Skenes’ offseason workout facility, a baseball-lover’s paradise and an encapsulation of his unique personality.—
Tribune News Service,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For example, during a recent power outage in San Francisco, autonomous robotaxis got stuck at intersections, blocking emergency vehicles and confusing other drivers.—
Murugan Anandarajan,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
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The projectionist showed the second reel first, and as my grandfather said, the film was already confusing enough.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
21 Jan. 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 29 Jan. 2026.
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