messy
adjective
characterized by a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition.
messiness
-
a word derived from
messy.
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.
Tidy narratives don’t match the gray messiness of divorce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
Any discrepancies in Erika’s biography can be explained by the normal messiness of human life and memory, plus mundane bureaucratic issues.
From Slate ● Feb. 27, 2026
For better or worse, Dawson served as an emotional, often cautionary, proxy for millennials’ own coming-of-age messiness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
Therapy, alongside lots of "painful" conversations with her daughter, has helped them to start sifting through their "family messiness and complexity".
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026
“I complained about the messiness, but Mr. Lemoncello popped in on a video screen to remind us that all the books being used in the read-and-eat contest were paperbacks.”
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
