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• mess-up
  mess-up

  noun

  a blunder; state of confusion; mix-up.
• mess up
  mess up

  Create disorder in; muddle or ruin. For example, On rainy days the children really mess up the house , or He had a way of messing up his own business . [c. 1900]

mess-up

American  

[mes-uhp] / ˈmɛsˌʌp /

noun

mess-ups plural

1. a blunder; state of confusion; mix-up.

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mess up Idioms  

1. Create disorder in; muddle or ruin. For example, On rainy days the children really mess up the house , or He had a way of messing up his own business . [c. 1900]

2. Make a mistake, especially from nervousness or confusion, as in He messed up and took the wrong dossier to the meeting , or Jill swore she would never mess up again . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s]

3. Beat up, manhandle, as in Joe got messed up in a barroom brawl . [ Slang ; early 1900s]

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mess-ups
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mess-up

First recorded in 1900–05; noun use of verb phrase mess up

Example Sentences

"I've been in a daze ever since I saw the announcement. Until more information comes out, I need to be careful not to mess up my daily life from overthinking," wrote X user Yachi.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

It's the same old story for Turkey really - they have got some quality players and yet they mess up when they get to a major finals.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026

When she asks me to place a hand on my heart again, I do, repeating, “I am here. I did not mess up my kid forever. My timing is impeccable.”

From Slate • May 10, 2026

He started out with some basic tips: Fill the shaker with the least expensive ingredients first, so you don’t waste the expensive stuff if you mess up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Why does she get to mess up every night, and I don’t?

From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers