as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
having a messy room is virtually de rigueur for a college student
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messy
But leadership lives in the messy middle where competing priorities collide and every option might have upsides and downsides.
—
Jennifer Kamara, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This finding, however, suggests the plumbing is messier than textbooks imply.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
There have been other dips for the monarchy over the years, including during the era Princess Diana's messy divorce from Charles and after her death in a 1997 Paris car crash.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Now in its fourth season, Zatima explores all the messy, heartfelt moments of love and life.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Jennifer Kamara, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This finding, however, suggests the plumbing is messier than textbooks imply.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
There have been other dips for the monarchy over the years, including during the era Princess Diana's messy divorce from Charles and after her death in a 1997 Paris car crash.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Now in its fourth season, Zatima explores all the messy, heartfelt moments of love and life.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messy
Adjective
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This is a young and talented group with tremendous upside under a defensive coordinator who thrives off chaotic defensive lines.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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But everything about this first half offensively — save for one TD pass to Sutton — has felt unorganized and ineffective and chaotic.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to Amazon reviews, the material is soft with just the right amount of stretch, while the fit is roomy without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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In that high‑tempo, but sloppy matchup, the Wildcats fell 46‑24, with Mari Adams, a top running back, contributing heavily on the ground and showing flashes of explosive play.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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If your collection still feels cluttered, try streamlining your storage.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Rise Of Cross-Sell Fatigue The digital purchase path has become cluttered with pop-ups, post-checkout prompts and afterthought upsells that disrupt rather than support the customer experience.—
Dan Caldwell,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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An increasing number of boys are lonely, isolated and confused, wrestling with the aftermath of the #MeToo movement and the expectations of rigid masculinity, which has been widely characterized as toxic.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
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The young men in Bruins blue and gold staggering off the field afterwards dazed, confused.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But a patchwork of injunctions that have yet to reach the justices remain in place, creating a jumbled situation that keeps reductions at specific agencies on ice.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Or find a less filthy campmate.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Sep. 2025
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Away from a filthy Superdome and Convention Center where they had been holed up for days.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messy. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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