messier; messiest
1
: marked by confusion, disorder, or dirt : untidy
a messy room
3
: extremely unpleasant or trying
messy lawsuits
a messy divorce
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
Doing the work of changing AI systems to respond to the White House executive order will be messy, said technologist Sahota, because where lines are drawn, and why, can initiate all sorts of political and cultural firestorms.
—
Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 July 2025
Bringing life and personality into your home is essential for the messy girl vibe.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 July 2025
Indeed, there are messy, complicated and outright mundane moments to every relationship — but those aren’t algorithmically climbing the ranks (unless the tea is piping hot, of course).
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
Forgo your usual sleek blow dry in summertime for a breezy, messy bun.
—Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
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Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 July 2025
Bringing life and personality into your home is essential for the messy girl vibe.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 July 2025
Indeed, there are messy, complicated and outright mundane moments to every relationship — but those aren’t algorithmically climbing the ranks (unless the tea is piping hot, of course).
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
Forgo your usual sleek blow dry in summertime for a breezy, messy bun.
—Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for messy
Cite this Entry
“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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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