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
It's been a bit of a messy first half, which started with two rapid yellow cards.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
27 June 2026
Committing the universal human crime of survival by way of messy living.
—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
27 June 2026
Meal planning, grocery lists and tackling that one messy drawer.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
Its historical numbers may be messy, the ownership base may be changing, and the earnings outlook may be uncertain.
—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
27 June 2026
Committing the universal human crime of survival by way of messy living.
—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
27 June 2026
Meal planning, grocery lists and tackling that one messy drawer.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
Its historical numbers may be messy, the ownership base may be changing, and the earnings outlook may be uncertain.
—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
26 June 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 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
messy
adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
