messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
2
: lacking neatness or precision : careless, slovenly
messy thinking
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
messily adverb
messiness noun

Examples of messy in a Sentence

Painting a room can be messy work. Some kinds of glue are messier than others. a delicious but messy sandwich
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Felix, a neat freak, moves in with his messy best friend Oscar following his divorce, and their relationship is put to the test — and then some. Erin Clack, People.com, 25 May 2025 There, Parker stuck to her middle part, messy waves and played with pattern clashing, wearing a button-up, floral midi dress under a turquoise jacket decoarted in white polka dots. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 24 May 2025 Using a game theory lens in a professional setting, then, can be messy and sometimes bring unwanted emotional repercussions. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 Best Amazon Vacuum Sales Life with kids is messy, but thankfully, Amazon has tons of vacuum sales on cordless, wet-dry, and handheld vacuums during Amazon’s Memorial Day sale. Laura Lu, Parents, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for messy

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of messy was in 1627

Cite this Entry

“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

messy

adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
messily adverb
messiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on messy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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