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 adverb
messiness noun

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.
Nearly two months have passed since a trade finalized the messy breakup between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, but the ugly ending to their time together will be a popular topic of conversation for the next few days. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2025 And yet, something about Careless People—beyond the court order, the messy PR spectacle, and Wynn-Williams’s formidable storytelling abilities—feels urgent, even necessary right now. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2025 Piracy Shield is often labeled as draconian by opponents because blocking content via DNS is messy. Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025 After a messy era with Aaron Rodgers bringing lots of hype to the team but immediately getting injured, then leaving the team in a blaze of glory after convincing the team to bring in some of his former teammates, a great pick like this would help the vibes tremendously. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for messy

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of messy was in 1627

Cite this Entry

“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

messy

adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
messily adverb
messiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on messy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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