1
as in fumbling
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 disrupting
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 stumbling
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 licking
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 messing (up)
Verb
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My first few hours with the EM11 NL were marked by overshooting links, fumbling through simple selections, and occasionally wondering why anyone would voluntarily use a vertical mouse.
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Bennett is concerned, for instance, that Hong could win her primary and then be defeated in November by Republican Tom Tiffany, fumbling the governorship of a swing state into the hands of a far-right Freedom Caucus member who dabbled in 2020 election conspiracy theories.
Verb
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Woods said a reading in line with expectations would likely keep markets focused on inflation and the Federal Reserve's policy path without disrupting the recent rally.
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He’s flanked by more individually talented defenders than ever, with Cason Wallace disrupting ballhandlers and Alex Caruso as versatile as any of the team’s guard defenders.
Verb
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also fallen foul of Germany’s World Cup elimination by Paraguay, after stumbling into a social media debacle following a communications blunder.
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There's been some stumbling plays, thwarted by tripping and dramatic falls.
Verb
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But the Carolinas have their own ways of making barbecue finger-licking.
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France’s Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, who each already have four goals in the tournament, will be licking their lips.
Verb
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Technically, officials said, blowing past the deadline means Alameda County is no longer in exclusive negotiations with the Oakland Acquisition Company.
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But rather than cede ground to an outsider, the town's residents plant TNT in every single structure, blowing them up before Lassiter can get his hands on them.
Verb
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Why People Misunderstand This Intelligence The first mistake people make is confusing integrative intelligence with being broadly knowledgeable.
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Having said that, conversations might be confusing today.
Verb
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Neural pathways controlling core bodily functions — feeling in the limbs, movement and breathing — were collapsing one by one, like circuit breakers tripping in rapid succession.
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The primary question is whether this crowded field of new entrants is actually accomplishing anything, or whether its members are simply tripping over one another with deleterious impact.
Verb
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Be mesmerized by the dazzling lasers and pulse-pounding tunes from the movie in this unforgettable experience.
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An apartment surveillance video captured a man pounding on the window, before Davis gave him a key.
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Cite this Entry
“Messing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messing%20%28up%29. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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