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
Decorated former All-Stars, fireballing relievers, and useful utility players, all gone in a feverish streak of trades to clear the path to a messy rebuild.
—
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
And the episode laid bare some messy contradictions, as America seeks to stand up an EV-and-battery business that can compete against China.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Oct. 2025
The sneakily sturdy breakfast nook was planned with messy eaters in mind.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
Things can get messy if the coats don’t dry completely.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
And the episode laid bare some messy contradictions, as America seeks to stand up an EV-and-battery business that can compete against China.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Oct. 2025
The sneakily sturdy breakfast nook was planned with messy eaters in mind.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
Things can get messy if the coats don’t dry completely.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messy
Adjective
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In this chaotic world of busy schedules, stressful current events and personal responsibilities, growing distracted from your internal world is common.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
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Not because it was magicked away by her brain’s chaotic bonds, but because her husband, Charles (Christian Slater), abruptly returned and got the job done.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There were a few sloppy passes on zone entries, and one instance where a puck slipped through him at the blueline.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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The sweater’s hip-skimming length and relaxed cut result in a fit that feels effortlessly lived-in (not sloppy), while its wear-with-anything design is easy to style.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Anderson’s chaotic but intensely touching father-daughter saga is set against a cluttered canvas of revolutionaries, cultists and political hustlers.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
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Small bedrooms require a strategic design plan in order to feel inviting and spacious, rather than cramped and cluttered.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Tibbetts looked confused by the ejection and didn’t leave the court immediately, appearing to ask another official, Tim Greene, what happened.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
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About 20 mins later, our son woke up, confused and looking for his daddy.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
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And the free options just make life harder with jumbled formatting.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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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For collaborating with British officers while on parole, he was transferred to solitary confinement in a filthy cell.—
Stacy Schiff,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
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Trying to expose the trafficking, abuse, and the filthy networks that protect the wealthy and powerful puts you in danger.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messy. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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