messed up
Americanadjective
-
beaten up; looking disarrayed.
-
confused and unhappy.
-
intoxicated with alcohol or narcotics.
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.
"I messed up the first three launches, the first three launches failed," co-founder Elon Musk recalled years later.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
"But you messed up, and we really need you to get back on top of this for everybody's sake," she said.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Tyson admitted he wasn’t familiar with Von, but thankfully stated he did indeed like him, because that would have really messed up the rest of the episode!
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
But last year during her annual benefits renewal, one of her employers messed up a number on the required paperwork.
From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026
She’d messed up a few words, her hands were a little shaky, and she was sure her voice had also been shaky.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
