messy

adjective

ˈme-sē 

messier; messiest

1

: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy

a messy room

2

: lacking neatness or precision : careless, slovenly

messy thinking

3

: extremely unpleasant or trying

messy lawsuits

a messy divorce

messily

ˈme-sə-lē 

adverb

messiness

ˈme-sē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• chaotic
• cluttered
• confused
• disarranged
• disarrayed
• disheveled
• dishevelled
• disordered
• disorderly
• higgledy-piggledy
• hugger-mugger
• jumbled
• littered
• messed
• muddled
• mussed
• mussy
• pell-mell
• rumpled
• sloppy
• topsy-turvy
• tousled
• tumbled
• unkempt
• untidy
• upside-down

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

The chili cheese hot dog on a pickle was messy and logistically taxing to eat, as toppings toppled over the sides and juice flowed into the container. —Annalise Frank, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024

This is Meat Carnival, the all-you-can-eat, free-for-all, for people who love meat and don't mind getting messy. —Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

Despite the fixes, messy data in Washoe County’s legacy system made its way into the new system. —Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2024

Travis dressed as the titular character with a leather ensemble, a messy black wig, and his signature scissor hands, while the mom of four dressed as the character’s love interest Kim Boggs. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

messy

adjective

ˈmes-ē 

messier; messiest

1

: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy

2

: extremely unpleasant or trying

messy lawsuits

messily

ˈmes-ə-lē 

adverb

messiness

ˈmes-ē-nəs 

noun