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Synonyms

messed up

American  

adjective

Slang.

  1. beaten up; looking disarrayed.

  2. confused and unhappy.

  3. 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.

He also voiced frustration with Iran's leadership, saying: "It's a very disjointed leadership. They all want to make a deal, but they're all messed up."

From BBC • May 2, 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

First controller: "Yeah, I know. I was here. I tried to reach out to my staff. And we were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up."

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

The VAR decision of 'accidental handball' led to Shearer describing the rule as "messed up in every single way".

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

The whole cabin broke into applause, and Mom messed up my hair with her hand.

From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman

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.