mess (up)

verb

Definition of mess (up)next
1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way messed up the drawing and had to start over

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stumble
to make a mistake if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again

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4
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess (up)
  1. fumble
  2. disrupt
  3. stumble
  4. lick
  5. blow
  6. trip
  7. confuse
  8. hide
Verb
  • Taylor started Indy’s unraveling by fumbling away a would-be 41-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that would’ve given Indianapolis a 20-7 lead.
    Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
  • That’s what Matt Stafford did after fumbling through the start of the game.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • Sensory processing issues affect 1 in 20 people, including typically developing children, while audiovisual overstimulation can disrupt learning for all users, not just those with sensory sensitivities.
    Hashim Hayat, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Hot water strips the skin of its naturally hydrating oils and may also disrupt the skin barrier, a mix of cells and fats that form a protective outer layer on the skin.
    Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 17 Dec. 2024
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • While overzealous forecasting tells part of the digital health story this year, there were some notable stumbles at particular companies.
    Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The inquiry into their use came during a 2023 dispute between the city and the Crane Boulevard Safety Coalition, which stumbled on the disappearing messages after the city approved the construction of a home in Mount Washington.
    Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Universal’s Wicked licked the $500M global milestone this session, adding $21.5M from 81 offshore markets (-39%) to lift the international cume to $166M. With $525M, global, the movie is playing more to domestic, as expected, but continues to make its mark overseas.
    Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Anxious dogs that like to obsessively lick, dig or sniff might also like pad toys.
    Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of lick
Verb
  • In 2021, digital health startups raised $29.1 billion, blowing past all previous funding records, according to a report from Rock Health.
    Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Travelers with heart or respiratory issues should also take caution and check the air quality before their visit, as strong winds are blowing volcanic gas and particles.
    Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of blow
Verb
  • Best Time to Visit To experience the best weather, Kensington Tours destination expert Jasmine Padda recommends that travelers book trips between either mid-September to mid-November or from March to April.
    Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024
  • Strong starts don’t guarantee continued success One need not look far in recent history to trip on the remains of companies whose share price never reached their IPO heights.
    Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of trip
Verb
  • But fans were confused as to why the flag was thrown.
    Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 25 Dec. 2024
  • Biden mixes up French president with deceased predecessor Things got messier in February when Biden confused current French President Emmanuel Macron with former French President François Mitterrand — who died in 1996.
    Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Dec. 2024
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Yang then bemoaned how people shoot lasers at him and hide their kids.
    Anne McCarthy, Variety, 22 Dec. 2024
  • While his mask has changed and grown smaller over the years, Peck has kept his face hidden from the public view.
    Joyce Orlando, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of hide
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near mess (up)

mess over

mess (up)

mess (with)

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Cite this Entry

“Mess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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