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
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Also, how fun seeing McGee’s hair get mussed in the fight.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 22 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
None of which is to say that the sports TV market will sail through the upfront without getting its hair mussed, although media dynamics favor those networks with a lot of live events to sell.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Also, how fun seeing McGee’s hair get mussed in the fight.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muss
Noun
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Other cuts start as pop songs before crashing into atonal messes and freak rock chaos.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
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Vacmaster Portable Carpet Cleaner Utilizing 15 kilopascals of suction power, the cleaner shampoos carpeted and upholstered surfaces to break up tough messes.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Additionally, pollution accumulation and vessel noise disrupt their echolocation abilities, making hunting increasingly difficult.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Free of sulfates, fragrances, and dyes, the Gentle Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner won’t disrupt your scalp’s barrier.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Also, sometimes the lure of carry is the shortest way to hell.—
Vineer Bhansali,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Eventually, the warden showed up and welcomed them to el infierno—hell.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There’s a certain freedom not having social media available from your app launcher, knowing you won’t get disturbed on this device, but are still able to sit back with a good book, some light jazz, and… not much else.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Unfollow accounts that regularly share disturbing images.—
Annie Margaret,
The Conversation,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Turner made some key adjustments at the plate for this season to focus on creating havoc on the basepaths rather than hitting just for power.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Offensive line woes help Falcons cause havoc There were other issues leading to the problems that McCarthy faced, including injuries to backup left tackle Justin Skule and center Ryan Kelly.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Declining enrollment means the district may need to shuffle schools, students, or teachers to ensure each school is well attended, and the student-teacher ratios are well-balanced.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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Baker also leads the orchestra, which sounds grand — although the sound in the arts center’s Pugh Theater often left musicians, lead singers and chorus all at the same level, with actors speaking over all of it at the same time to create a sonic jumble.—
Matthew J. Palm,
Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Yes, God confuses the language and scatters everyone, thereby creating linguistic and cultural diversity.—
John Fugelsang
September 12,
Literary Hub,
12 Sep. 2025
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At one point, O’Steen was confused by a question, and the resulting back-and-forth was reminiscent of an Abbott and Costello repartee.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muss. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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