1
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order
the bachelor party had left the house in a total mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in meal
food eaten or prepared for eating at one time
a mess of oatmeal
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in loads
a considerable amount
an unexpected Super Bowl loss that unleashed a whole mess of finger-pointing and second-guessing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to interfere
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
please don't mess with me while I'm trying to concentrate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of mess
Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
Somebody else felt proud of having taught fellow Redditors how to open a box filled with packing peanuts without making a mess.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2025
Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 15 Feb. 2025
Add in a high lottery pick (don’t worry, Raptors fans, Ingram isn’t good enough or healthy enough to mess that up), and their top six salaries alone will push the team to the tax line for a squad that on paper will be fighting for the Play-In.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess
Noun
Before cutting, drain any excess liquid from the can to avoid making a mess.
—Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
Somebody else felt proud of having taught fellow Redditors how to open a box filled with packing peanuts without making a mess.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
Seeing two girls at the same time and really having feelings for them kind of messed me up.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 15 Feb. 2025
Add in a high lottery pick (don’t worry, Raptors fans, Ingram isn’t good enough or healthy enough to mess that up), and their top six salaries alone will push the team to the tax line for a squad that on paper will be fighting for the Play-In.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess
Noun
-
Grant consistently gets into the backfield as a two-technique player, creating havoc on rushing downs.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2025
-
The side chat, though, was all about the email invitation, which had inspired dozens of famous recipients to not just reply but reply-all, causing inbox havoc among the publishing and comedy elite.—
Paula Aceves,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
That’s two meals for the price of one, plus the smorgasbord of bottomless soup, salad, and breadsticks.—
Alyssa Davis,
Southern Living,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Tea Bar offers lighter bites and salads, with local ingredients that make for a relaxing pre or post-spa meal.—
Chelsea Davis,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
So, the soft, warm light during the golden hours enhances the vibrant colors of the red rock formations without a cloud in sight.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Trefil notes that this type of observation is like tracking the moon by its influence on the tides, which remains constant even if the moon is not in sight.—
Brian Handwerk,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Cabinet members reportedly watched the fiery exchange without interfering.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Chuck Todd: Jeff Bezos is blaming the victim Whatever Bezos’s personal reasons are, equally important is the fact that he is emboldened to interfere so brazenly.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
So even if Meghan juggled citruses before dehydrating them while hopping on one leg, some were going to give her hell no matter what.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Buses zip by in their special lane while everyone else stews in bumper-to-bumper hell, half-tempted to ditch their car for a bus seat next time.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The menu had a range of options: a few different burgers, plus hot dogs, chili cheese dogs, veggie burgers, chicken burgers and a burger salad.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacramento Bee,
16 Mar. 2025
-
But of course, the biggest difference between Calaveras and Vetta is the menu.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Objects are often askew and out of frame, and everyday sounds like a toilet flush or blinds being pulled assume a low, staticky growl, as though frights fueled by childish imagination.—
Gayle Sequeira,
Vulture,
20 Jan. 2025
-
In a second Instagram Stories post, the singer offered another look at the cake, featuring a large bust of a clicker, the fungal zombie-esque frights from the Last of Us video game franchise and HBO series of the same name.—
Gil Macias,
People.com,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Most notably, Microsoft has a deal to restart the infamous Three Mile Island fission facility that was the site of the worst nuclear accident in the U.S.—
The Editors,
Scientific American,
18 Mar. 2025
-
That trip and a subsequent trade deal could dissipate the geopolitical headwinds.—
Brendan Ahern,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
Video
Hot Mess
Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings
Cite this Entry
“Mess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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