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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The real world can be messy, and issues will occasionally come up that are out of your control. Egor Karpovich, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 The plating was a little messy on a few dishes during my visit. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025 And with a massive battery and blazing fast performance, it’s built to keep up with however messy your digital life gets. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 3 June 2025 As the defining cultural moment of not only the summer but of 2024 in general, Brat and its hedonistic aesthetic — authentic, messy and vulnerable with cigarettes, baby tees and neon green — helped set the stage for Rae’s confident and carefree pop evolution. Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for messy

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of messy was in 1627

Cite this Entry

“Messy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/messy. Accessed 8 Jun. 2025.

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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