mess

[ mes ]

/ mɛs /

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See synonyms for: mess / messed / messes / messing on Thesaurus.com

noun

a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition: The room was in a mess.

a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered.

a state of embarrassing confusion: My affairs are in a mess.

an unpleasant or difficult situation: She got into a mess driving without a license.

a dirty or untidy mass, litter, or jumble: a mess of papers.

a group regularly taking their meals together.

the meal so taken.

mess hall.

Naval. messroom.

a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion: to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.

a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.

a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food: to cook up a nice mess of pottage.

a person whose life or affairs are in a state of confusion, especially a person with a confused or disorganized moral or psychological outlook.

verb (used with object)

to make dirty or untidy (often followed by up): Don't mess the room.

to make a mess or muddle of (affairs, responsibilities, etc.) (often followed by up): They messed the deal.

to supply with meals, as military personnel.

to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed by up): The gang messed him up.

verb (used without object)

to eat in company, especially as a member of a mess.

to make a dirty or untidy mess.

Verb Phrases

mess around / about

Informal. to busy oneself without purpose or plan; work aimlessly or halfheartedly; putter.
Informal. to waste time; loaf.
Informal. to meddle or interfere.
Informal. to involve or associate oneself, especially for immoral or unethical purposes: His wife accused him of messing around with gamblers.
Slang. to trifle sexually; philander.

mess in / with to intervene officiously; meddle: You'll get no thanks for messing in the affairs of others.

mess up,

to make dirty, untidy, or disordered.
to make muddled, confused, etc.; make a mess of; spoil; botch.
to perform poorly; bungle: She messed up on the final exam.

OTHER WORDS FOR mess

3 disorder, disarray, confusion, farrago, hodgepodge, muddle.

4 predicament, plight, pickle.

15 botch, mix up.

See synonyms for mess on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR mess

1 tidiness, order.

14 arrange, neaten, tidy.

See antonyms for mess on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mess

1250–1300; Middle English mes<Old French: a course at a meal <Late Latin missus what is sent (i.e., put on the table), noun use of past participle of Latin mittere to send

Words nearby mess

mesovortex, Mesozoa, mesozoan, Mesozoic, mesquite, mess, mess about, message, message board, message center, Messager

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mess in a sentence

The upcoming US presidential election seems set to be something of a mess—to put it lightly.
Microsoft’s New Deepfake Detector Puts Reality to the Test|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|September 4, 2020|Singularity Hub
Cleanup also has to be simple, because when your vehicle is full, even small greasy messes can create big problems.
5 Portable Grills for All Your Outdoor Cooking Needs|Amy Marturana Winderl|September 2, 2020|Outside Online
“I just thought it was extremely odd to, say the least – just a way to mess with the homeless and those that need the discount,” Sheetz said.
MTS Frequently Overrules Doctors’ Orders on Reduced Fares for the Disabled|Lisa Halverstadt|August 31, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Work and life were colliding in ways that it was impossible to stay organized and looking at the mess while I was watching TV on the couch was making me more stressed out.
The best things I bought in August|Rachel Schallom|August 30, 2020|Fortune

Make the easy into a festering mess of sweat and cursing and they’ll mosey along.
The most secure ways to lock up your bike|By Michael Frank/Cycle Volta|August 26, 2020|Popular-Science
Texas has always had a sense of place—that is why we are told not to mess with it.
Will Texas Stay Texan?|David Fontana|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was being the riskiest studio in Hollywood that got Sony into this mess in the first place.
Sony: Hollywood’s Most Subversive Studio Under Attack|Marlow Stern|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, that candy store is heavy industry, with all the mess that entails.
New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban|Jay Michaelson|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was The Brittany Murphy Story, dubbed a “colossal mess” by reviewers.
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“The idea was to mess with the concept of Christmas,” recalled John Law, an original Cacophony member.
Before the Bros, SantaCon Was as an Anti-Corporate Protest|David Freedlander|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If Wee Willie Winkie took an interest in anyone, the fortunate man was envied alike by the mess and the rank and file.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
And yet they tell me he was a pleasant enough fellow in the Mess, this Brigadier, and liked good cooking.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 158, April 28, 1920|Various
Coming back along the well-beaten sandy track, my heart sank to see our mess tent still lit up at midnight.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Coming back found mess tent brilliantly lit up and my staff entertaining their friends.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
I shall make an unholy mess of things if I'm left alone, and if you like I'll keep you on here.
The Everlasting Arms|Joseph Hocking

British Dictionary definitions for mess

mess

/ (mɛs) /

noun

a state of confusion or untidiness, esp if dirty or unpleasantthe house was in a mess

a chaotic or troublesome state of affairs; muddlehis life was a mess

informal a dirty or untidy person or thing

archaic a portion of food, esp soft or semiliquid food

a place where service personnel eat or take recreationan officers' mess

a group of people, usually servicemen, who eat together

the meal so taken

mess of pottage a material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value

verb

(tr often foll by up) to muddle or dirty

(intr) to make a mess

(intr often foll by with) to interfere; meddle

(intr; often foll by with or together) military to group together, esp for eating

Word Origin for mess

C13: from Old French mes dish of food, from Late Latin missus course (at table), from Latin mittere to send forth, set out

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with mess

mess

In addition to the idioms beginning with mess

mess around
mess up
mess with

also see:

get into trouble (a mess)
make a hash (mess) of

mess

OTHER WORDS FOR mess

OPPOSITES FOR mess

Origin of mess

Words nearby mess

Words related to mess

How to use mess in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mess

Word Origin for mess

Other Idioms and Phrases with mess