messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
Synonyms
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
For something a little less refined and a lot messier to consume, the prime rib sandwich will guarantee a dribble or two of meat juice on your shirt.
—
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024
Join our group chat for an engaging exploration of the trials and triumphs of modern relationships, from navigating messy situationships to understanding your own desires and boundaries.
—Essence, 8 July 2024
Seed Pods: And Honey Locust can also drop a lot of messy seed pods allover your lawn.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 3 July 2024
On Paramount Bid – Report The reconciliation between Paramount and Skydance only adds to what has become one of the messiest and most erratic M&A processes in recent Hollywood history.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for messy 
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024
Join our group chat for an engaging exploration of the trials and triumphs of modern relationships, from navigating messy situationships to understanding your own desires and boundaries.
—Essence, 8 July 2024
Seed Pods: And Honey Locust can also drop a lot of messy seed pods allover your lawn.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 3 July 2024
On Paramount Bid – Report The reconciliation between Paramount and Skydance only adds to what has become one of the messiest and most erratic M&A processes in recent Hollywood history.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for messy
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
messy
adjective
messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
2
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
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