MESSED (UP) Synonyms: 244 Similar and Opposite Words

messed (up)

verb

past tense of mess (up)

as in fumbled

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way messed up the drawing and had to start over

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as in disrupted

to undo the proper order or arrangement of a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stumbled

to make a mistake if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again

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as in licked

to strike repeatedly threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for messed (up)

Verb

Carr fumbled while trying to spike the ball, and Isaiah Glasker pounced on it to help the Cougars maintain a two-score lead going into the locker room.

— John Coon, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Then, with Georgia a first down away from a game-winning field-goal attempt, Stockton fumbled the ball.

— Connor Riley, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of fumbled

Verb

When those signals are blocked, disrupted or deliberately jammed, vehicles may need other methods to maintain reliable navigation.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
While the restorations are only to the marble surface of the building, the meticulous nature of the job would have disrupted all aspects of the Plaza experience for would-be guests.

— Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of disrupted

Verb

Drew Rasmussen squandered a two-run lead on the mound, Tampa Bay's bullpen let the game get away and the Rays stumbled to a 7-3 loss against the Cleveland Guardians in their American League Championship Series opener Monday night.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Kore-eda stumbled on the manga in a bookshop rather than through its serial run.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumbled

Verb

Tuxedo kitten Paolina bounced onto my chest and licked my fingers.

— Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Her entire face got licked clean off her head when suburban floodwaters breached the cardboard hull protecting Kath’s basement memorabilia stack a few months before I was born.

— Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of licked

Verb

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
On Saturday morning, temperatures in the fire area were in the mid-80s and winds blew at about 15 mph.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of blew

Verb

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
The truest sign that Joseph had tripped the Rams up with Hufanga’s blitz came by looking at Rams right guard Kevin Dotson.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of tripped

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Browse Nearby Words

messed over

messed (up)

messed (with)

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Style

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

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Synonyms of messed (up)

verb

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