mess (up)

verb

Definition of mess (up)next
1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way messed up the drawing and had to start over

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stumble
to make a mistake if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess (up)
  1. fumble
  2. disrupt
  3. stumble
  4. lick
  5. blow
  6. confuse
  7. trip
  8. hide
Verb
  • But when Kansas fumbled the snap on a punt, resulting in a safety, Kansas State was able to take an 18-17 lead to the locker room.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Stockton, who also threw two interceptions, fumbled on a run from the Auburn 46.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • The integration could help American troops operate uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) when adversaries attempt to disrupt battlefield communications.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • At the same time, a traffic signal at Hazel Avenue and Folsom Boulevard was flashing in all directions, disrupting train signals at three additional intersections, Selenis said.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • Resendiz finished strongly, sending Mazoudier stumbling backward in the final minute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.
    — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Popo would lick her cone ever so gracefully, never dripping or messing up the lining of her magenta lipstick.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But head coach Ben Johnson isn't going to be happy that his team nearly blew a 24-point lead with just over 12 minutes to go.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • Bill Belichick has made a Hall of Fame career on confusing young quarterbacks.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Splitter praises his movement on and off the ball, which seems to visibly confuse opposing defenses.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • And maybe trips like this can help the nomad way of life survive.
    — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Up until tonight, Raman has done a good job of communicating a message of hope and change, while Bass, as the incumbent, has repeatedly tripped on her record over the biblically bad four years of her first term.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of trip
Verb
  • In an indirect prompt injection, an attacker hides instructions in content an AI agent will come across while doing a task—a web page or a forum post, for instance—hoping to hijack the agent.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Many senior Democrats blamed her, along with the rest of the family and his close aides, for hiding his condition.
    — Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of hide
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.

Browse Nearby Words

mess over
mess (up)
mess (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Mess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20%28up%29. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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