1
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order
the bachelor party had left the house in a total mess
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in meal
food eaten or prepared for eating at one time
a mess of oatmeal
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3
4
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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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of mess
Ali Faccenda, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
Fernandez recalls the monotony of swabbing decks before getting a job in the mess.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024
This feels like a confirmation that Ellie was partly to blame for messing the laundry up before, even if unintentionally.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mess 
Noun
Plus, the handle is 8 inches long, which works with deep bowls and on-the-go smoothie tumblers without creating a mess.
—Ali Faccenda, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
Fernandez recalls the monotony of swabbing decks before getting a job in the mess.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
Why risk messing that up because of a tiny screen?
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Coke, Twinkies, Skittles, and … Whole-Grain Bread?
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024
This feels like a confirmation that Ellie was partly to blame for messing the laundry up before, even if unintentionally.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess
Noun
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Many planetary shifts and changes are causing havoc not just in the sky but also in our personal lives.Lisa Stardust, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
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Dangerous snow and ice have already piled up in parts of the Northeast, causing havoc on roads and roofs to cave in.Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Fans can expect features around holiday gift guides, holiday food trends, comfy holiday outfits and holiday party meals, to name a few.Dave Quinn, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
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Its tables served everyone in Detroit, from the city’s first Black mayor to its drag queens to Jewish families seeking Christmas meals.Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
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After they were joined Friday by a fresh uprising in the southern Daraa province, both groups set their sights on Damascus.Eyad Kourdi, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
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The resultant climax is actually real here — there’s no condensed milk substitute in sight — but Mitchell’s explicit moment of self-love isn’t just included for shock value.David Opie, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Neither the attorney general nor my office interfered nor influenced that process.Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
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That may be because such costs are difficult for a president to control without interfering in the free market, even as Trump hammered President Joe Biden on the issue.Sam Woodward, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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However, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.Steve Tengler, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Who knew the doorway to hell could be so… romantic?Claire Franken, TVLine, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The menu includes pink moon oysters and mignonette, persimmon salad, squash blossoms, an aquavit digestif, quail and panna cotta for dessert.Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 16 Dec. 2024
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Once relegated to the kid’s menu, chicken tenders are behind some of the most successful restaurant chains in the world.Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The main cast gets the feel and tone of what Wilson has wrought, both the frights and the frivolity.Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Dec. 2024
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The demand from scare-seekers for bigger, better frights has even led one haunt to expand from its spot at Royal Palm Beach’s fall festival to a standalone attraction in Loxahatchee.Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 16 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Holiday deals: Shop this season’s top products and sales curated by our editors.Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
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While neither deal extends to the beginning of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration, the resort has announced a hotel promotion that begins May 16 and runs through Sept. 26, with discounts as high as 30% off, depending on the time of stay.Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
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Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings
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Cite this Entry
“Mess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
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