MESSES Synonyms: 314 Similar and Opposite Words

messes 1 of 2

noun

plural of mess

as in jumbles

a state in which everything is out of order the bachelor party had left the house in a total mess

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as in meals

food eaten or prepared for eating at one time a mess of oatmeal

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as in horrors

something unpleasant to look at the car was a mess after the accident

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visions

as in loads

a considerable amount an unexpected Super Bowl loss that unleashed a whole mess of finger-pointing and second-guessing

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messes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mess

as in interferes

to interest oneself in what is not one's concern please don't mess with me while I'm trying to concentrate

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of messes

Noun

The Australian singer-songwriter seeks to strike a balance between life’s contradictions, desires and messes through raw lyrics, deceptively relaxed jangle rock and woozy folk-pop. — Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 To prevent excessive messes in your microwave, cover your food with a paper towel or a microwave-safe splatter guard. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026 Run it over hard floors and carpets to suck up debris, then convert it into a handheld vacuum to tackle above-floor messes. — Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 In the busiest area of the house, your toilet may need daily attention to clean stains and messes. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2026 The messes are bigger, and Joe’s mop and bucket just won’t cut it. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026 Perfect for stashing in lunch boxes, the convenient squeezable pouches help keep messes to a minimum. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026 The organization, which is responsible for cleaning up the messes after superhero battles, has something that Jean wants locked inside a vault. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026 Make sure to do this over the sink or outside to prevent messes! — Nicole Harris, Parents, 18 July 2026

Verb

Ships, like airplanes, are designed with fluid dynamics in mind, and biofoul seriously messes that up. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 From pet hair to crumbs, this Shark handheld cordless vacuum cleaner can tackle messes large and small, thanks to strong suction and a self-cleaning brush that resists pet hair accumulation. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026 Like that series, this movie messes with your mind by taking full advantage of creepy backroom spaces. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 May 2026 When Kristi tells her this place messes with your mind, Mari tells her this is different. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 But pollen also messes with sleep, ups the risk of sinus infections, causes people to miss school and work, and can pose more serious dangers. — Keerti Gopal, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026 This rug can stand up to all your pets’ messes with its durable fibers that are easy to spot-clean. — Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026 The latter may be tied to iron deficiency from irregular periods, plus the drop in estrogen, which messes with the dopamine activity that regulates muscle control. — Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026 Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for messes

Noun

Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.

— Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.

— Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026

Definition of jumbles

Noun

Losing access to free meals could require families to spend on average nearly $1,000 per student each school year, according to the Center for American Progress.

— Juliana Kim, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
Guests in Red Level rooms (Gran Meliá’s premium service) can access a private club lounge for all-day snacks, meals, and drinks; dedicated check-in; a private concierge and a private terrace.

— Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of meals

Noun

Arthur Miller’s enduring impact rivals Shakespeare’s, with a consistently socially conscious body of work that challenged power structures and society’s complicity during his time and still reaches modern audiences with the horrors of today.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026
But in between the jump scares and supernatural horrors is a story of motherhood and confronting the past.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrors

Noun

Instead, Hongqi said the solar roof could help supply lower-voltage electrical loads, including air conditioning, refrigerators and the vehicle’s sentry or monitoring systems.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Together, Jaybush, Brad Chambers, and the American Heavy Moving team figured out a route through the city that avoided street trees, tight turns, and roads that run above old, fragile sewer pipes, which aren’t rated for heavy loads.

— Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of loads

Verb

But as China’s 2018 detention of two Canadian citizens after Canada arrested a Huawei executive showed, the party readily interferes in the legal system when important interests are at stake.

— Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Here’s when to watch and how to catch the best views before bright moonlight interferes.

— Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of interferes

Noun

An episode of septicemia, with its hells and paradises, its nightmares and hallucinations, transforms Borges into a story writer.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
The Avici hell is the lowest and most terrible level of the eight hot hells of Buddhism, where those who’ve committed serious crimes (like parricide) must face constant suffering.

— Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Definition of hells

Noun

And while many of the vehicles have Michelin written on their tires, so do the plaques and menus at many of the hotels and restaurants hosting luxurious pit stops.

— Iain Macauley, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026
At Ziya, the contemporary Indian fine dining restaurant, renowned chef Vineet Bhatia’s wizardry is evident in tasting menus that reinterpret regional flavours from around the country in exciting new formats.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026