as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
having a messy room is virtually de rigueur for a college student
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messy
There were no mice in Gene and Betsy’s house, which was cluttered, messy, maybe, but not hoardy or dirty.
—
Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Gerber pulled her wavy hair back into a messy bun and opted for a light makeup look, shifting all the attention to her colorful outfit.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
This is why so many great writers swear by deliberately messy first passes.
—Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
While the Cowboys’ defense is coming off its best performance of the season in a 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, the overall picture of that side of the ball has been messy through seven weeks.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Gerber pulled her wavy hair back into a messy bun and opted for a light makeup look, shifting all the attention to her colorful outfit.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
This is why so many great writers swear by deliberately messy first passes.
—Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
While the Cowboys’ defense is coming off its best performance of the season in a 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, the overall picture of that side of the ball has been messy through seven weeks.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messy
Adjective
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This is bloody and chaotic, and reasonably interesting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
In November 2023, Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero were sent off in a chaotic 4-1 defeat.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This team isn’t talented enough to beat the Ravens with errors and sloppy operation.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
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Shares of Target have tumbled about 35% in the last year, as its own merchandising issues, a sloppier store experience and boycotts over its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs all weigh on its business.—
Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There were no mice in Gene and Betsy’s house, which was cluttered, messy, maybe, but not hoardy or dirty.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Tens of thousands of pieces of space junk — and millions more smaller bits of orbital debris — are cluttered in low Earth orbit, the narrow band of space where many telecommunications and GPS satellites circle the planet.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those willing to put in the time (and those who aren't easily wigged out) may find to their confused delight that Tippett is the maddest creative god of them all.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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The Oscar-winning filmmaker makes the viewer as torn and confused and at wit’s end as the people trying to avoid doomsday.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Another study challenging the MICI scenario noted that breaking ice also tends to form a mélange, a dense, jumbled slurry of icebergs and sea ice.—
Evan Howell,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Oct. 2025
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While Texas Tech has emerged as the clear favorite to win the conference (-120 odds on BetMGM), the chasing pack is still a jumbled mess.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Jackson Lamb has long, greasy hair and a pot belly over which hangs a filthy old trench coat.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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On the other end, Ja’Marr Chase is coming off an absolutely filthy touchdown grab last Sunday.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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