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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mess
Tory Johnson, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The Angry Mama Microwave Steam Cleaner is thoughtfully designed to effortlessly remove stubborn messes without scrubbing or scraping for hours on end.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
Tulane’s other big contingent, activist investors, have been a bit defanged by AI, which is messing with companies’ strategies and their ability to credibly critique them.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mess
Noun
Inside the magic of each rug is a special waterproof inner lining that prevents liquids from soaking through to your floors, keeping them clean and containing the mess.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The Angry Mama Microwave Steam Cleaner is thoughtfully designed to effortlessly remove stubborn messes without scrubbing or scraping for hours on end.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
Rechtshaid, whose many credits also include Sky Ferreira’s opus Night Time, My Time, doesn’t mess with Ives’ original recipe.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
Tulane’s other big contingent, activist investors, have been a bit defanged by AI, which is messing with companies’ strategies and their ability to credibly critique them.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess
Noun
-
Working low to high, causing havoc on the forecheck, getting pucks back.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Wild extremes of temperature, a heat dome, a potent bomb cyclone blizzard, epic rainfalls and violent tornadoes have wreaked weather havoc across the nation.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Affecting the first two receptors means retatrutide may help suppress appetite and slow digestion, which can help users feel full after eating even smaller meals.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Tin Roof Tacos is the perfect place to stop in for a satisfying meal without breaking the bank.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Later Wednesday, the SLS upper stage sent Integrity into a high Earth orbit ranging as far as 46,000 miles away, treating the crew to the sight of a lunar eclipse along the way.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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Crew has an amazing sight in store Four days later during the lunar flyby, the moon will appear to be the size of a basketball held at arm’s length.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Combined, the marijuana loads had a street value of about $675,000 in the United States, and high-quality weed could be worth two to three times higher in Europe, according to the CBP.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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The hospital’s closure has meant many workers are out of a job, patients are having to find other options for care, and nearby hospitals, including Rush Oak Park Hospital and Loretto Hospital, may face heavier patient loads.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
During the arrest, a large crowd surrounded officers and interfered by yelling profanities and racial slurs, police said.—
Robert A. Cronkleton
March 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
-
That was an aesthetic choice but also a practical one — of not wanting to interfere in their creative process.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Brash, confident, possibly irreverent, and out there, looking to make life hell for everyone who played San Francisco.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
But Mike Johnson, leader of the House of Representatives, said hell no to what his Republicans in the Senate said yes to.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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All orders featured generous portion sizes—vegetarians be warned, meat and fish feature heavily throughout the menu.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The tasting menu changes periodically based on the availability of seasonal ingredients.—
John Leos,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dark, eerie, and paranoid (for good reason), the eight-episode season shifts back and forth from the casual grimness of an unwelcoming reality to the shocking frights of a stoner’s worst nightmare (the latter of which is shrewdly motivated by Rachel regularly smoking pot).—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Mar. 2026
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The real fright, though, came midway through that final frame, when star center Dylan Larkin went down in a heap after his skate seemed to catch awkwardly on the ice.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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 3 Apr. 2026.
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