messy

adjective

ˈme-sē How to pronounce messy (audio)
messier; messiest
Synonyms of messynext
1
a
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
b
: likely to create a mess
a messy task/hobby
messy paint
2
: lacking neatness or precision : careless, slovenly
messy thinking
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
messily
ˈme-sə-lē How to pronounce messy (audio)
adverb
messiness
ˈme-sē-nəs How to pronounce messy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of messy

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Examples of messy in a Sentence

Painting a room can be messy work. Some kinds of glue are messier than others. a delicious but messy sandwich
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Football is a messy game with far too many variables for one statistic to ever fully grasp. — Austin Mock, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026 The districts' policies are part of a messy patchwork of new laws and guidelines that have spread across the United States, leaving inconsistent rules state-by-state, or even district-by-district. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026 The bloodshed returns after another 11-year hiatus, but the spatter is messier, thicker, and darker, seeping into a new vision by Ready or Not directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026 So her personal information, spread over multiple government databases, is messy, incomplete, often contradictory and may even have been inadvertently combined with others who share her name. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for messy

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of messy was in 1627

Rhymes for messy

See All Rhymes for messy

Browse Nearby Words

mess with someone's mind/head
messy
Mesta
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

messy

adjective
ˈmes-ē How to pronounce messy (audio)
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
messily
ˈmes-ə-lē How to pronounce messy (audio)
adverb
messiness
ˈmes-ē-nəs How to pronounce messy (audio)
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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