as in chaotic
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
having a messy room is virtually de rigueur for a college student
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of messy
It was all carefully managed by Disney after its messy changeover in 2020, when Bob Iger handed the reins to Bob Chapek only to reclaim his job two years later.
—
Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
The messy firing of Martinez dominated much of the mayor’s second year in office, but the Chicago Board of Education’s search for his replacement has been bumpy as well.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Another outside possibility is Debra OConnell, who oversees Disney’s linear networks, has been with the company for nearly 30 years across multiple roles, and most recently helped Walden deal (successfully) with a messy period at ABC News.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
About a dozen tots strapped up in their floor length aprons, eager to get messy in the garden, on a brisk winter Texas morning.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
The messy firing of Martinez dominated much of the mayor’s second year in office, but the Chicago Board of Education’s search for his replacement has been bumpy as well.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Another outside possibility is Debra OConnell, who oversees Disney’s linear networks, has been with the company for nearly 30 years across multiple roles, and most recently helped Walden deal (successfully) with a messy period at ABC News.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
About a dozen tots strapped up in their floor length aprons, eager to get messy in the garden, on a brisk winter Texas morning.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for messy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for messy
Adjective
-
His piece of genius separated the sides entering the 84th minute but during a chaotic finale, the hosts conspired to grab defeat from the jaws of victory.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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But Biden quickly sank in the late summer and fall, due in large part to a chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and rising prices.—
Craig Gilbert,
jsonline.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
At times, Epstein characterized the billionaire’s office as sloppy and amateurish, exposing him to taxes and reputational risks while making sensitive payments.—
Tom Schoenberg,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Heat also ran into its own sloppy play, committing 19 turnovers.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s nothing loud or cluttered going on here, nor any great insistence on tradition or overt Englishness.—
Lydia Bell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Or maybe convert that cluttered garage into a rental to bring in some extra cash?—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But someone in mental decline may go way out of their way or get very confused.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
8 Feb. 2026
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But Michele and Jesse Foster just seemed confused when the procession passed them on the street corner.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The standings are pretty jumbled, and those eight selections are currently only a few games apart.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The musical, which examines in jumbled chronology the five-year relationship between novelist Jamie and actress Cathy, debuted in Chicago in 2001 and opened Off Broadway the following year.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This neighborhood, peopled almost entirely by the people who claim to have been driven from Poland and Russia, is the eyesore of New York and perhaps the filthiest place on the western continent.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Rodents, roaches, flies and knives stored in filthy places were among the myriad violations on this week’s Sick and Shut Down List of South Florida restaurants that failed state inspection.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/messy. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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