1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
messed up the drawing and had to start over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stumble
to make a mistake
if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess (up)
Verb
-
The attempt to create a viable and vibrant residential hub arrives after years of neglect and fumbled strategies by the prior owner, an affiliate of real estate firm Z&L Properties.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026 -
The Blue Demons’ guard panicked, fumbling the ball, and Fudd read her perfectly.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Corvus Robotics says the system can operate during active warehouse shifts without disrupting workflows.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The West Coast sunlight would disrupt the concert feel that most halftime shows have, Cuddeford said.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Jaelin Kauff is easily through after her quarterfinal opponent Anastassiya Gordodko stumbles.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Gold-medal favorite figure skater Ilia Malinin stumbled to eighth in stunning fashion, citing the pressure of his first Olympics.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
-
England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There was a short pursuit on the freeway, which ended when a tire blew on the SUV.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Taubitz remains the one to beat, but after her teammate faltered on her third run, the medal competition was blown open.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rory Guilday spent two minutes in the penalty box due to a tripping penalty.—
Isabel Yip,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Gueye appeared to trip Reid, who got up and immediately got in the face of Gueye, setting off a scuffle.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The citizens of Texas are confusing hospitality for complacency.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
To give my permission to be sad, to be angry, to be confused.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This means that bills get hearings, debates happen in public, and legislators are required to vote on issues instead of hiding behind process.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Maybe Mark Kelly and several other dissident members of Congress are hiding the sun in a big bag.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Mess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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