1
as in jumbles
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 meals
food eaten or prepared for eating at one time
a mess of oatmeal
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in horrors
something unpleasant to look at
the car was a mess after the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 interferes
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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of messes
Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
Droves of Amazon shoppers swear by the iWoly C150 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner, a lightweight, easy-to-maneuver device that handles floor-to-ceiling messes.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
On the plus side, the surface wipes clean easily, which is a huge win for spills and messes.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
Instead of lugging out an upright vacuum, use it to suck up small messes in tricky spots around the house and in the car.
—Isabel Garcia, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Jones is terrific as a young woman forced to grow up much too soon, who is running out of patience having to constantly clean up her uncle’s many messes, and McShane pops off the screen in a smaller role as a character whose anger is even less controlled than Robbie’s.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
To quickly eliminate soap scum, water splatters, and other glass messes, apply shaving cream all over the surface.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Directed by Carl Franklin, Out of Time is a dark, funny, sexy offering about an alcoholic Florida cop who stumbles into a series of messes and has to maneuver himself out.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Foot traffic, eating, and the little messes of daily life leave the floors in these spaces dirtier than in other areas of the home.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
Droves of Amazon shoppers swear by the iWoly C150 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner, a lightweight, easy-to-maneuver device that handles floor-to-ceiling messes.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
On the plus side, the surface wipes clean easily, which is a huge win for spills and messes.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
Instead of lugging out an upright vacuum, use it to suck up small messes in tricky spots around the house and in the car.
—Isabel Garcia, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Jones is terrific as a young woman forced to grow up much too soon, who is running out of patience having to constantly clean up her uncle’s many messes, and McShane pops off the screen in a smaller role as a character whose anger is even less controlled than Robbie’s.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
To quickly eliminate soap scum, water splatters, and other glass messes, apply shaving cream all over the surface.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Directed by Carl Franklin, Out of Time is a dark, funny, sexy offering about an alcoholic Florida cop who stumbles into a series of messes and has to maneuver himself out.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messes
Noun
-
Since then, their roadside stand has evolved into a destination with produce from local growers and a menu of comforting baked goods, lunches, and take-home meals.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
-
By mixing tradition with play, the pieces are meant to make both everyday meals and holiday gatherings feel special.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
All Quiet on the Western Front is a visually graphic portrayal of the horrors of war, earning four Academy Awards in 2023 — including Best International Feature Film.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Kelley is chastised and eventually replaced by Gustave Gilbert (Colin Hanks), a rival psychologist with a different take, one that opposes Kelley’s more humanistic approach in defining the horrors of that time.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Federal agents stopped three boats that were en route to South Florida from the Bahamas and were smuggling large loads of cocaine and dozens of Chinese migrants last week, according to court documents.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
On top of that, the humanoid handled different types of dishwasher loads, from dishes to glasses, adapting itself to execute the task with perfection.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bárbara, who can see the guests a few feet away, maintains a neutral expression on her face as Solène demands to be spoken to nicely, at which point Jess interferes and tells them to save it for later.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Elsewhere, Morgan interferes when Elliot admits to not being invited to his classmate’s party.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
All’s well that metal-as-hells well.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Today, numerous kitchen technologies are working to shift that chaos with tools designed specifically to save time, improve efficiency and reduce stress for restaurant workers, such as kiosk menus and self-service ordering and payment systems.—
Jeff Kiesel,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The Airport Authority, which has a say in the pricing of concessions, provided some examples from the menus of The Taco Stand menu and the new Tony Hawk restaurant, Novecientos Grados.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The House of Juju also has stellar sights, with eats like a delectable red snapper sandwich on offer.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Greenwood State Beach unfolds below the bluff, a crescent of sand often empty but for driftwood piles and the occasional bonfire ring.—
Lauren Mowery,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Many prefer soft beds or blankets, while others are drawn to unusual objects such as laundry piles, cardboard boxes, or even shoes.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messes. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share