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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
The 19-inch lanyard can be slipped on and off your neck without mussing your hair as well.
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 12 Aug. 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
Last Week Tonight has always been more thorough in its account of the week’s major issues than the nightly network shows, though at least Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Kimmel all sounded the Klaxon about Donald Trump while their colleague Jimmy Fallon mussed his hair.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
The 19-inch lanyard can be slipped on and off your neck without mussing your hair as well.
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muss
Noun
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Congress is going to have to address the mess created by not enforcing past immigration laws.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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This compounds the mess inherent to cooking with a young child, who, turns out, is apt to get as much flour on the floor as inside the bowl.—
Rachel Tepper Paley,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Allen was injured but was not shot during the April 25 attack at the Washington Hilton, which disrupted one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
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Several airlines are offering limited-time fares to help accommodate passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted by Spirit’s closure.—
Scott Laird,
Travel + Leisure,
4 May 2026
Noun
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This autumn, though, the feminist alt-rock icons are finally giving us one hell of a sonic supernova.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
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But, this specific adaptation could be equally advantaged by presenting an imagined hell within our lesser, present one.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Manta Sleep Mask has adjustable eye cups that create a true blackout, so cabin lights and neighboring seatback screens don’t disturb her rest.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
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Not to mention, harvesting garlic bulbs can disturb the soil quite a bit and interfere with the growth of sage plant roots.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Used his size and good wheels to create havoc in the offensive zone, took on all comers and pitched in offensively with double-digit goals.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
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Now, using currently available AI models, the barriers of entry to wreaking cyber havoc have been lowered.—
Hugh Son,Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Verb
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MotoGP also had to shuffle its schedule due to the conflict in the Middle East, postponing the Qatar Grand Prix to November.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
7 May 2026
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But sometimes, simply shuffling the pieces can help, in our view.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The red, purple or sometimes gold root vegetable — not to be confused with its white cousin, the sugar beet — is low-calorie and packed with nutrients and compounds linked to benefits, ranging from brain health to athletic performance.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
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Companion plants with strong odors are used to confuse pests or mask the scent of crops so insect pests cannot find them.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muss. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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