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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messy
But just because the numbers are messy doesn’t mean the habits are wrong.
—
Rachel MacPherson, Outside, 11 Jan. 2026
But the Islanders tied the game just 87 seconds later on a messy play in front of the Minnesota net.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Pittsburgh responded from the messy end against the Bills by winning four of five to earn its first AFC North title in five years, the final win coming in a heart-stopper in Week 18 against Baltimore that ended up costing longtime Ravens coach John Harbaugh his job.
—CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Mendoza is just more consistent, with everything — accuracy, decision-making, being able to evade messy pockets.
—Dane Brugler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Rachel MacPherson, Outside, 11 Jan. 2026
But the Islanders tied the game just 87 seconds later on a messy play in front of the Minnesota net.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Pittsburgh responded from the messy end against the Bills by winning four of five to earn its first AFC North title in five years, the final win coming in a heart-stopper in Week 18 against Baltimore that ended up costing longtime Ravens coach John Harbaugh his job.
—CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Mendoza is just more consistent, with everything — accuracy, decision-making, being able to evade messy pockets.
—Dane Brugler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messy
Adjective
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Paul’s chaotic yet candid nature quickly uplifted her to reality TV icon status, so much so that ABC named her their next star of The Bachelorette.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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Dispatch recordings from firefighters who were first on the scene at Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra’s home early Thursday reveal a chaotic and fast-moving fire that left crews scrambling to find water and to contain the spreading flames.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The soft knit fabric drapes just right, giving that relaxed vibe without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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Practice had been a bit a sloppy at times, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher had a wide smile anyway Thursday afternoon.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Rather than letting those items pile up in a cluttered mess, opt for a compact organizer with enough storage to hold all the essentials.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
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Authoring this noisy, jazzy track all by his lonesome, Weir vocally zig-zagged his way across a cluttered arrangement flush with oddball time changes.—
A.D. Amorosi,
Variety,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Goedert scored his second touchdown on a fourth-and-2 leaving a confused Malik Mustapha behind him in the left flat.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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Yet many of its citizens feel both whiplashed and confused.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
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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Tidy Food Storage Containers The same can be said for the food storage containers that can easily become a jumbled mess in the cabinet.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Dec. 2025
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What should be a gripping thriller centered on new, uncharted technology and questionable loyalties degenerates into a jumbled mess.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
27 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
26 Dec. 2025
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In other words, Cunha’s job is to convince the Americans now running the federal government to give Brown’s motley crew of gender-benders, anti-Semites and filthy-rich legacies a good leaving alone.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
24 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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