1
as in havoc
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 meal
food eaten or prepared for eating at one time
a mess of oatmeal
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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 to interfere
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 mess
Jihane Bousfiha, Vulture, 2 July 2025
Life in Weisshorn is a mess of lies and trauma, and Nel’s ready to break out.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 26 June 2025
Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
So, avoid messing things up with these simple tips for cooking delicious, juicy cheeseburgers on a propane grill.
—Joe Difazio, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess
Noun
The first is a decent brunette one seen in flashbacks, and the second is a short brown flippy mess that closely resembles a rat’s nest.
—Jihane Bousfiha, Vulture, 2 July 2025
Life in Weisshorn is a mess of lies and trauma, and Nel’s ready to break out.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 26 June 2025
Verb
But, if those guys [the oligarchs] do start messing everything up, then there is really something for normal people to worry about.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
So, avoid messing things up with these simple tips for cooking delicious, juicy cheeseburgers on a propane grill.
—Joe Difazio, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess
Noun
-
The bacteria causing havoc for summer swimmers include E.coli and Enterococcus — nasty germs often found in the feces of people and animals.—
Shreya Srinivasan,
NBC news,
3 July 2025
-
Cilic was never in the contest because of a foot blister that was causing havoc with pain and movement, something that was imperative against the balletic Federer.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
The stunning architecture, great meals and sultry tango make this city a divine place to visit throughout the year.—
Liza B. Zimmerman,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
There are dozens of places to find authentic Vietnamese cuisine here, so having at least one meal (plus some bubble tea and maybe a snack) is a prerequisite.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Game Pass experienced a huge surge of sign-ups during the COVID years, but growth has tapered, and a ceiling has to be in sight.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
-
Some people strained for a view of the chapel, for a sight of the family.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
Verb
-
Analysts also see Trump’s attempt to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs as a potential backfire for Bolsonaro during his trial and a push for Lula, whose reelection bid was facing unpopularity headwinds this year.—
Mauricio Savarese,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
-
May's character was completely devoted to Storm, often interfering in her matches and mimicking her every move.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Art the Clown is going to raise hell as the Terrifier film franchise comes to Halloween Horror Nights for the first time.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
What fresh hell will Wednesday’s Grandmama (the Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley) raise at Nevermore?—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Pick up these two new Popeyes menu items both in-store and online at participating restaurants across the United States.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
14 July 2025
-
Known for the invention of famous menu items like the piña colada (created at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan) and the Waldorf salad (created at Waldorf Astoria New York), Hilton’s culinary programming continues to evolve.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Well, consider that, unlike what’s happening in the world at large, the frights and delights inside Viola’s Room are actually fun.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
-
Ah well, Cesare already has two sequel novels published, so there’s already plenty more Frendo the Clown frights ready to be harvested.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
Look for Alphabet to deploy the Buy and Link defensive strategies — vacuuming up promising AI advertising startups and offering discounting and packaging deals to extant search customers that want to experiment with the Google AI advertising platform.—
Forrester,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
This could be a $6 million per season deal that doesn't pan out to being an impact addition.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
Video
Hot Mess
Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings
Cite this Entry
“Mess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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