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
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Recent Examples of messes
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2026
For tougher messes, a commercial product like an oven cleaner might be best.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
This plastic table cover does the trick while offering convenient use and protection against spills and messes.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 10 Mar. 2026
Life's daily messes can be constant eyesores in even the most beautiful and dreamy of homes.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
Keep reading to learn how to tackle messes room by room, from play areas to bedrooms and beyond, all while using products that are safe for tiny hands and curious mouths.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Outside of the cabin, these wipes come in handy at meals, while taking public transportation, and when cleaning up small messes at the hotel.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026
Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
In Lost Lambs, the internet sabotages a family in much the same way that Napoleon messes things up for the Bezukhovs in Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
—Gideon Leek, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Somebody does something terrible and messes it up.
—Giana Levy, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
Don’t let clutter and little messes get the best of your weekend.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2026
For tougher messes, a commercial product like an oven cleaner might be best.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
This plastic table cover does the trick while offering convenient use and protection against spills and messes.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Rebecca Sheppard specializes in untangling other people’s financial messes.
—Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 10 Mar. 2026
Life's daily messes can be constant eyesores in even the most beautiful and dreamy of homes.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
Keep reading to learn how to tackle messes room by room, from play areas to bedrooms and beyond, all while using products that are safe for tiny hands and curious mouths.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Outside of the cabin, these wipes come in handy at meals, while taking public transportation, and when cleaning up small messes at the hotel.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
The latter may be tied to iron deficiency from irregular periods, plus the drop in estrogen, which messes with the dopamine activity that regulates muscle control.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026
Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
In Lost Lambs, the internet sabotages a family in much the same way that Napoleon messes things up for the Bezukhovs in Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
—Gideon Leek, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Somebody does something terrible and messes it up.
—Giana Levy, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messes
Noun
-
Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The first night is typically spent at Sirena Ranger Station, a dorm-style accommodation with hearty meals.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
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Yet as deeply personal and dark as the subject matter can sometimes be, amid the horrors of today’s headlines, the album’s optimism is a welcome sound.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Michael Winterbottom followed in 2023 with Shoshana (a film that premiered a full month before the horrors of October 7), and last year saw Cherien Dabis’s sprawling epic All That’s Left of You make the Oscar shortlist.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 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
-
If Washington overtly interferes in European elections or takes the dramatic step of annexing Greenland, the postwar alliance framework, already strained, could fracture.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
-
This Ministry frequently interferes in employers’ decisions, instigates acts of discrimination by authorities and organizations, brings weight to bear on the organs of justice and even orchestrates propaganda campaigns in the media.—
Jonny Diamond,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Smith stays largely mum on the news of the day, be that Kirk’s killing, or ICE raids, or whatever hells await in the coming weeks.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
-
The protagonist's youth doesn't defang the story, as Silent Hill f wastes no time thrusting Hinako and her friends into their personal hells.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
To see all candidates, remove your selections on the drop-down menus.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Italian, Mexican and Asian menus are available.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And while Pacas has already achieved more than your average 19-year-old, his sights are set even higher.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The Sacramento native has his sights set on reality stardom.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messes. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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