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
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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
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Messes: The Blue Jays are fumbling a star It’s been a tough few years for the Blue Jays and high-end baseball talent.—
Chris Branch, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
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Even Ferrell himself fumbled over the racy lines, which elicited so much laughter that both Thompson and Murphy struggled to hold back their smiles.—
Verb
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The pair meet after the guy picks up a prescription for an extremely gnarly black eye, setting off a whirlwind romance that’s inevitably disrupted by — what else? — a grumpy parent.—
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The occurrence of any of these events disrupts the global supply chain and can deeply impact profitability.—
Verb
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Liv hesitates, does awkward stumble toward her, drops head onto Sally’s shoulder.—
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But after entering the All-Star break holding a Wild Card, Boston stumbled almost immediately in the second half.—
Verb
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The flames licked at the neighborhood’s outskirts, toasting a few leaves at the perimeter, but didn’t damage a single residence in the community.—
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As Ferrell resumed singing with Johansson, Kardashian and Gasteyer, Wiig proceeded to lick Dooneese’s tiny hands and stroke Johansson’s face, tap on one of Gasteyer’s breasts and pretend to play the drums on Kardashian’s butt.—
Verb
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The Spartans jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, but blew the game open in the second behind Blair’s playmaking.—
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Finer orders pizza, Kate G. puts on music, Paige (receptionist) throws open windows to let crazy pre-rain breeze blow through.—
Verb
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Its textured bottom grips the floor, preventing the mat from slipping or sliding, while its sloped edge is designed to reduce users’ risk of tripping over the mat.—
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Butler fit in fine, but the Warriors around him tripped over themselves.—
Verb
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This should not be confused as some kind of part-time mentoring role, like someone coming in to give a speech once in a while and then clearing off.—
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Don't let the term air fryer confuse you: These things are pretty much just small convection ovens that use fans to circulate hot air around your food in order to cook it evenly and efficiently.—
Verb
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Dylan notices the slogan and examines the poster to find that Irv hid his drawing of the Exports Hall, with detailed instructions on how to get there written on the back, behind it.—
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His wife, Avital, who was seven months pregnant at the time, hid in a safe room with their two daughters.—
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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 1 Mar. 2025.
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