as in mess
a state in which everything is out of order
careful planning had eliminated most of the muss that usually accompanies a move to a new house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
the wind mussed up my hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muss
Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 18 Jan. 2023
James, Sami, Jesse, Cassidy, and Karla (all from the super alliance of seven) sat out without much muss or fuss.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Nov. 2022
Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
The half-zip design can be slipped over your head without mussing up your hair and makeup, while a roomy kangaroo pouch is the ideal place to store your phone and even an in-flight snack.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muss
Noun
As promised, the restaurant is a no-fuss, no-muss operation.
—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 18 Jan. 2023
James, Sami, Jesse, Cassidy, and Karla (all from the super alliance of seven) sat out without much muss or fuss.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Nov. 2022
Verb
As always, Lorenzo is more than happy to muss up the expected, to push the boundaries while still respecting the core traditions of the art form.
—Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
The half-zip design can be slipped over your head without mussing up your hair and makeup, while a roomy kangaroo pouch is the ideal place to store your phone and even an in-flight snack.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muss
Noun
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But most important, its vacuum design is quiet, easy to use, and eliminates mess.—
Christine Persaud,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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La Liz was an opulent mess her whole life.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On play one, Moore reads the tight end throwback pass and disrupts the catch (or else the tight end might still be running).—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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On one hand, companies like Upwork and Fiverr have suffered as generative AI has disrupted simple contract jobs like copyediting and translation.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Yes, these Eagles have been to hell.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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The press helped to turn public opinion against the war, not because the press was antiwar or even had a politics but because war is hell, and hell is photogenic.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When a school principal (Ashley Padilla) and a teacher (Mikey Day) reprimand a student (Hernandez) for disturbing drawings of him attacking the principal, the student’s father (Bad Bunny) comes in, and Padilla’s principal, immediately smitten, changes course to hitting on the student’s father.—
Rima Parikh,
Vulture,
5 Oct. 2025
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The deaths have disturbed the Cranford community.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Jilly will undoubtedly be best remembered for her chart-topping series The Rutshire Chronicles and its havoc-making and handsome show-jumping hero Rupert Campbell-Black.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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In total, Elanga provided five first-half crosses and, while only Gordon’s counted as ‘completed’, that does a disservice to the havoc the Sweden international caused.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Seahawks might need to do more shuffling ahead of their Week 6 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Restyle Soft Goods Soft goods like accent pillows, throw blankets, and even curtains can be easily shuffled around to refresh your space, Reinhard says.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
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In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Crotz was initially confused as to why Kjartan had closed himself inside.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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CarShield has received positive comments for its breadth of coverage and quick response times, although some policyholders have complained about claim denials, fine-print surprises and confusing sales practices.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muss. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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