as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
the charmingly mussed look of a rock star in full rebel regalia
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in disrupted
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 mussed
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
The Meta boss appeared in a dark suit and gray tie, his signature chestnut curls slightly mussed, darting occasional nervous looks at the jury and the 20-year-old plaintiff, who sat in the courtroom gallery.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
While the reserved pair are certainly happy, Francesca’s realization that their physical bond might not be up to snuff continues to haunt her, tipping into her emotional state, which continues to be mussed by John’s vivacious cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza).
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
The Meta boss appeared in a dark suit and gray tie, his signature chestnut curls slightly mussed, darting occasional nervous looks at the jury and the 20-year-old plaintiff, who sat in the courtroom gallery.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mussed
Adjective
-
Wheatley isn’t a sudden-twitch mover and the tackling can get messy, but the size, awareness and ability to play deep, in the slot or around the box should keep him in the Day 2 conversation.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
A lot of the case seemed to come down to disorganization and messy paperwork.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His arrival disrupted Diawara’s rhythm but gave Brown a gritty, experienced defender for small-ball combinations.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
An uneven jobs landscape and disrupted energy markets due to the war in the Middle East has made the Federal Reserve more sensitive to inflation in recent months, resulting in a pause on rate cuts.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Set in 1953 after the titular dictator’s passing, the film revels in the chaotic, messy, bumbling power struggle that ensues among figures like Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi) and Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor).—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The venue was the sprawling Serena Hotel, an oasis within what is already a bubble provided by Islamabad, a leafy city of broad boulevards that feels detached from the rest of Pakistan, an often chaotic country of 240 million people.—
Saeed Shah,
Time,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The south London BBQers were confused.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Microphones are a tool for speaking out loud, or singing, before a crowd, and Lee uses the object as a symbol of her own desire to speak and be understood, even when she is confused by competing cultures and unsure of her own voice.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For weeks, Isaiah Mosley shuffled into the morning chaos of the Miami criminal courthouse.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Born from the embers of the eighties band Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, led by the singer and guitarist Amelia Fletcher, shuffled forward with her riffy, effervescent playing style, gradually growing more sophisticated across four LPs and an EP, without any loss of buoyancy.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ludvig Aberg swapped out some sloppy mistakes at the Masters with pure iron play at Harbour Town in warm, swirling wind that produced an 8-under 63 for a one-shot lead Thursday in the RBC Heritage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Needing a win to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2018, the Ducks lost a sloppy 4-3 overtime decision to the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s worst team, leaving them a point shy of the playoffs with two games to play.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Courts also accord high deference to arbitration decisions and require extraordinary findings to vacate an arbitration award, meaning arbitration decisions are normally not disturbed or challenged.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Peale was especially disturbed by Kennedy’s prospects.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mussed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mussed. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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