mix-up
noun
a confused state of things; muddle; tangle.
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mix-up
American
[miks-uhp]
/ ˈmɪksˌʌp /
noun
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a confused state of things; muddle; tangle.
-
a fight.
mix-up
British
noun
-
a confused condition or situation
-
informal a fight
verb
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to make into a mixture
to mix up ingredients
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to confuse or confound
Tom mixes John up with Bill
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(often passive) to put (someone) into a state of confusion
I'm all mixed up
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to involve (in an activity or group, esp one that is illegal)
why did you get mixed up in that drugs racket?
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informal to fight
mix up
Idioms
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Confuse, confound, as in His explanation just mixed me up even more , or I always mix up the twins . [c. 1800]
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Involve or implicate. This usage is usually put in the passive, as in He got mixed up with the wrong crowd . [Mid-1800s]
Etymology
Origin of mix-up
First recorded in 1835–45; noun use of verb phrase mix up
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.
United Airlines helped re-route Calderón to Nicaragua — and the airline did bump up his seat to first class to make up for the mix-up.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026
The breed mix-up has also thrown a wrench in the prosecution’s case against Godfrey Jalale, a 64-year-old retired military officer who had been Chakwera’s deputy chief of staff.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026
When asked to comment on the apparent mix-up, a Groq spokesperson referred to the company’s blog post, which they said “includes the factual terms of the agreement.”
From MarketWatch • Dec. 24, 2025
Cleveland still managed to lose the game to the one-win Titans after a last-play mix-up going for a two-point conversion.
From BBC • Dec. 8, 2025
Once there, a comical mix-up involving lookalike saddles causes Edith-Anne to meet a boy named Albert, who also plans to take part in the show.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
