messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
2
: lacking neatness or precision : careless, slovenly
messy thinking
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
messily adverb
messiness noun

Examples of messy in a Sentence

Painting a room can be messy work. Some kinds of glue are messier than others. a delicious but messy sandwich
Recent Examples on the Web Because of the position of the handles and the design of the spout, this cup may be more prone to leaking, so young toddlers could get a bit messy while using it. Lauren Wellbank, Parents, 20 Mar. 2024 Smiles are more chaotic, the energy is messier and the mood more comfortable. Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Jones belabored this point as well, once again citing packing too much and how a broken zipper can quickly turn messy if security is unable to quickly re-pack your belongings. Kelsey Chapman, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024 His lyrical storytelling encapsulates the complexities of existence, love, and messy humanity. Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024 Fresh off the success of Pluribus, Brown went searching for a harder challenge—one that would require not just the abstract strategic thinking needed to win a game like poker but also the ability to excel in the messier world of unstructured human interaction. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 What followed was a whole bunch of messy bickering in the press. Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2024 In fact, their online experience is likely to get messier at first. Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 In the show — basically a flatshare sitcom with a twist — Tyers plays 20-something Jen, who is messy, funny and the only person in the world without a superpower. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'messy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of messy was in 1627

Dictionary Entries Near messy

Cite this Entry

“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

messy

adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
messily adverb
messiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on messy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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