messier; messiest
1
a
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
b
: likely to create a mess
a messy task/hobby
messy paint
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
Examples of messy in a Sentence
Painting a room can be messy work.
Some kinds of glue are messier than others.
a delicious but messy sandwich
Recent Examples on the Web
The drafts were messy, but, in reality, so, too, were the handwritten ones—their own version of chaos with arrows, enumerations, and strikethroughs.
—
Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
But a messy dispute between Jackson’s daughter, Paris, and his estate’s executors, entertainment lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain, has taken some of the fizz out of the celebration.
—Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Her story is undoubtedly far more complex and messier than that, and arguably more interesting.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Kate usually takes the ring off for particularly messy engagements, like Girl Scout meetups, or physically intense ones, like military exercises.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
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Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
But a messy dispute between Jackson’s daughter, Paris, and his estate’s executors, entertainment lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain, has taken some of the fizz out of the celebration.
—Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Her story is undoubtedly far more complex and messier than that, and arguably more interesting.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Kate usually takes the ring off for particularly messy engagements, like Girl Scout meetups, or physically intense ones, like military exercises.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
messy
adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
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