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.
When Ron Shaich’s father was close to dying, he had a revelation: He had messed up in life, making poorly considered decisions and living impulsively.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
It’s going to be easier for people who messed up on their taxes to get back in the good graces of the IRS.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
Because her whole life, she’s been told, ‘You’re wrong, you’ve messed up, you’ve got things wrong.’
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 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
I know I messed up, but do I really deserve all of this?
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
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.
