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hot mess

American

noun

Slang.

a person or thing that is a mess, as in being disorganized, confused, or untidy, yet remains attractive or appealing.

He’s a hot mess when he wakes up in the morning!

Usage

What does hot mess mean? Hot mess is used to describe a particularly disorganized person or chaotic situation. In some uses, a person described as a hot mess is attractive but just barely keeping it together.

Etymology

Origin of hot mess

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Since the start of the Iran war, the conventional wisdom has been that the whole thing is a hot mess.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

It took you a moment because I was a hot mess.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

The film closes with a Vance voice-over explaining that “we choose every day who we become,” a statement that feels like it is pointed directly at the “choices” of hot mess Bev.

From Salon • Jul. 20, 2024

"They were shocked, like, 'oh my god we were expecting this to be a hot mess but your brain is pristine'," added Rousey.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2024

Layla is sprawled out on another leather couch, and she looks a hot mess too.

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023