MESS OVER Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

mess over

verb

Definition of mess over

slang

as in to abuse

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon her no-good boyfriend has been messing her over for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess over

Verb

When Platner arrived, the place seemed haunted not only by American misconduct but also by Saddam Hussein’s use of it to imprison and abuse political dissidents during his reign.

— Jasper Craven, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
To overturn the trial court's decision would require an appellate court to find that the trial court abused its discretion ― which is a very high bar to hurdle.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of abuse

Verb

Across the street, other workers are clearing the rubble from the old Highmark Stadium as it is taken apart piece by piece.

— Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Among the arrays that are set to be taken apart is the Coastal Endurance Array, which lies off the coasts of Oregon and Washington State.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 2 June 2026

Definition of take apart

Verb

Parents lodged complaints about coaches, at least one athlete claimed they were being bullied and harassed by a teammate, and rival programs raised concerns about the team’s behavior in competitions.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026
For a long time, our leading hypothesis was bullying and violence, but that may be a bit impractical, given their kingdoms are vast networks of tunnels that can stretch for up to three kilometers.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026

Definition of bully

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.

Browse Nearby Words

messmates

mess over

mess (up)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mess over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20over. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of mess over

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

comely

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes