Word Explorer

Mess

/mɛs/

A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; disorder.

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "Mess"

noun

1
A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; disorder.
"He made a mess of it."
2
A large quantity or number.
"My boss dumped a whole mess of projects on my desk today."
3
Excrement.
"Parked under a tree, my car was soon covered in birds' mess."
4
A person in a state of (especially emotional) turmoil or disarray; an emotional wreck.
"Between the pain and the depression, I'm a mess."

verb

1
(transitive, often used with "up") To make untidy or dirty.
2
(transitive, often used with "up") To throw into disorder or to ruin.
3
To interfere.
"This doesn't concern you. Don't mess."
4
(used with "with") To screw around with, to bother, to be annoying to.
"Stop messing with me!"

🔄 Synonyms of "Mess"

30 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
slewnoun	A large amount.
muddlenoun	To mix together, to mix up; to confuse.
spatenoun	(countable, figurative) A sudden increase or rush of something; a flood, an outburst, an outpouring.
massnoun	(physical) Matter, material.
holenoun	A hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit; a dent; a depression; a fissure.
pilenoun	A mass of things heaped together; a heap.
dealnoun	(often followed by of) An indefinite quantity or amount; a lot (now usually qualified by great or good).
mintnoun	A building or institution where money (originally, only coins) is produced under government licence.
batchnoun	The quantity of bread or other baked goods baked at one time.
pecknoun	(ambitransitive) To strike or pierce with the beak or bill (of a bird).
sightnoun	(in the singular) The ability to see.
jamnoun	(less common in the US) A sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts
heapnoun	A pile or mass; a collection of things laid in a body, or thrown together so as to form an elevation.
wadnoun	An amorphous, compact mass.
picklenoun	(chiefly US, Canada, Australia) A cucumber preserved in a solution, usually a brine or a vinegar syrup.
potnoun	A flat-bottomed vessel (usually metal) used for cooking food, possibly excluding saucepans (see usage notes).
flocknoun	A number of birds together in a group, such as those gathered together for the purpose of migration.
fixverb	(transitive) To attach; to affix; to hold in place or at a particular time.
stacknoun	(heading) A pile.
lotnoun	A large quantity or number; a great deal.
raftnoun	A flat-bottomed craft able to float and drift on water, used for transport or as a waterborne platform.
plentynoun	A more-than-adequate amount; plenitude.
mess upverb	(transitive) To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
mussnoun	(transitive) To rumple, tousle or make (something) untidy.
kettle of fishnoun	(idiomatic) An awkward situation.

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Mess"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
mess upverb	(transitive) To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
muddlenoun	A mixture; a confusion; a garble.
kettle of fishnoun	(idiomatic) An awkward situation.
messinessnoun	The property of being messy.
mussnoun	A mess (disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; disorder).
mussinessnoun	The quality of being mussy.
wadnoun	An amorphous, compact mass.
heapnoun	A pile or mass; a collection of things laid in a body, or thrown together so as to form an elevation.
mucklenoun	(chiefly Scotland) A great amount.
micklenoun	(archaic, chiefly Scotland) A great amount.
plentynoun	A more-than-adequate amount; plenitude.
slewnoun	A large amount.
great dealnoun	(idiomatic, usually singular) Large number, amount, or extent; profusion.
sightnoun	(in the singular) The ability to see.
lotnoun	A large quantity or number; a great deal.
fixnoun	A difficult situation; a quandary or dilemma; a predicament.
pilenoun	A mass of things heaped together; a heap.
dealnoun	(often followed by of) An indefinite quantity or amount; a lot (now usually qualified by great or good).
massnoun	(physical) Matter, material.
spatenoun	(countable, figurative) A sudden increase or rush of something; a flood, an outburst, an outpouring.