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
-
Ovens see a lot of messes from foods that spill onto the bottom or racks that can become burnt overtime the longer the messes sit and bake.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
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Robert’s large property borders a clear cut — a clearing where a pine thicket had been cut down in the summer of 2009 — leaving behind a mess of tree stumps and roots.—
Meghan O'Brien,
NBC news,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Economic and religious activities disrupted by DHS Muslims in Minneapolis, estimated now to be more than 100,000, have lived in the city for well over a century, and the city has embraced them.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Her beau-to-be follows her into the fields and sneaks up on her, stumbling over a rock at the last possible moment, disrupting what might have been her first actual orgasm.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As Bellocchio shows, overnight Tortora’s life became a living hell, one that would go on, in prisons and courts and in the tabloids, for years.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Sold to Menemsha, genuinely tense and gorgeously shot, highlighting the heavenly mountains and a historical hell.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mist the soil instead of overhead watering, which can disturb the seeds.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
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Managing the genetic health of such a small population is essential for the species’ long-term viability, and the hair-collection method offers a noninvasive way to gather vital data without disturbing the wombats in their burrows.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
America’s obsession with betting has created havoc for NBA players, who have faced a torrent of abuse from fans and spoken out publicly about it.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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With his size and strength, McDonald can regularly get into the backfield and create havoc.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That left the Broncos with no option but to grab their bags and shuffle along the final icy stretch before reaching the safety of indoors.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
19 Feb. 2026
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To use Smith at the top of the lineup would likely require the Rangers to shuffle the leadoff hitter against lefties, thus creating more moving parts.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Restaurants that have a smaller 3% charge to cover healthcare might leave customers confused on how to proceed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Netflix representatives have been warning investors not to confuse the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period with regulatory clearance, citing examples where DOJ investigations have continued, per a note from Guggenheim Securities this week.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muss. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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