hot mess

noun

Slang.

1. 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!

Word History and Origins

Origin of hot mess¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

When To Use

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.