countable/uncountable a situation in which a place is dirty or untidy
Your room is a mess; please pick up your toys.
‘What a mess!’ she said, looking at the kitchen.
make a mess:
Try not to make a mess because I’ve been cleaning.
in a mess:
His papers were in a terrible mess.
Synonyms and related words
Untidiness and untidy situations
mess
chaos
confusion
1a
countable something that has been accidentally dropped or carelessly left, so that it makes a place look dirty
I cleaned up the mess with a napkin.
There was a sticky mess on the kitchenfloor.
Synonyms and related words
Dirt
dirt
dust
grime
1b
singular someone or something that looks dirty, untidy, or in bad condition
Look at you – you’re a mess!
Mark’s jeans were a mess by the time he finishedpainting.
Synonyms and related words
Untidiness and untidy situations
mess
chaos
confusion
2
singular a difficult situation with a lot of problems, especially because people have made mistakes
an economic mess
be in a mess:
The company was in a complete mess when she took over.
get into a mess:
I don’t know how we got into this mess.
get someone into a mess:
You got me into this mess in the first place.
Synonyms and related words
Difficult situations and experiences
crisis
battle
nightmare
Cultural note
The phrase another fine (or nice) mess you’ve gotten me into was often used by the US actor Oliver Hardy to his partner Stan Laurel in a series of comedy films they made together in the 1920s and 1930s. People sometimes use this phrase humorously when they are in a difficult situation, especially when they want to blame someone for it.
Collocates
Adjectives frequently used with mess
▪ awful, complete, fine, real, right, sorry, terrible, total
3
singular informalsomeone who is so nervous or who has so many problems that they cannot have a normal life
I was a complete mess after the divorce.
Synonyms and related words
People who worry a lot
nebbish
the worried well
worrier
4
countable a room where people have their meals in the armed forces
Synonyms and related words
General words relating to army life
base
billet
detail
5
countable/uncountable solid waste from an animal
Synonyms and related words
Human and animal waste
cowpat
crap
dog dirt
phrases
a mess of something
make a mess of (doing) something
make a mess of something
mess
noun
US /mes/
Other entries for this word
messverb
hot messnoun
Eton messnoun
mess hallnoun
a mess of somethingphrase
make a mess of somethingphrase
make a mess of (doing) somethingphrase
Word Forms
singular
mess
plural
messes
DEFINITIONS5
when someone/something is dirty
when there are problems
someone with problems
solid waste from animal
mess hall
phrases
1
countable/uncountable a situation in which a place is dirty or not neat
Your room is a mess; please pick up your toys.
“What a mess!” she said, looking at the kitchen.
make a mess:
Try not to make a mess on the cleancarpet.
Synonyms and related words
Untidiness and untidy situations
mess
chaos
confusion
1a
countable something that has been accidentally dropped or carelessly left, so that it makes a place look dirty
I cleaned up the mess with a napkin.
There was a sticky mess on the kitchenfloor.
Synonyms and related words
Dirt
dirt
dust
grime
1b
singular someone or something that looks dirty, not neat, or in bad condition
Look at you – you’re a mess!
Mark’s jeans were a mess by the time he finishedpainting.
Synonyms and related words
Untidiness and untidy situations
mess
chaos
confusion
2
singular a difficult situation with a lot of problems, especially because people have made mistakes
an economic mess
get into a mess:
I don’t know how we got into this mess.
get someone into a mess:
You got me into this mess in the first place.
Synonyms and related words
Difficult situations and experiences
crisis
battle
nightmare
Cultural note
The phrase another fine (or nice) mess you’ve gotten me into was often used by the U.S. actor Oliver Hardy to his partner Stan Laurel in a series of comedy films they made together in the 1920s and 1930s. People sometimes use this phrase humorously when they are in a difficult situation, especially when they want to blame someone for it.
Collocates
Adjectives frequently used with mess
▪ awful, complete, fine, real, terrible, total
3
singular informalsomeone who is so nervous or who has so many problems that they cannot have a normal life
I was a complete mess after the divorce.
Synonyms and related words
People who worry a lot
nebbish
the worried well
worrier
4
countable/uncountable solid waste from an animal
Synonyms and related words
Human and animal waste
cowchip
cowpat
cowpie
5
countable a room where people have their meals in the military
Synonyms and related words
General words relating to army life
base
billet
bust
phrases
make a mess of (doing) something
make a mess of something
a mess of something
mess
verb
UK /mes/
Other entries for this word
messnoun
hot messnoun
Eton messnoun
mess hallnoun
a mess of somethingphrase
make a mess of somethingphrase
make a mess of (doing) somethingphrase
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess
he/she/it
messes
present participle
messing
past tense
messed
past participle
messed
phrasal verbs
mess about
or mess around
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess about
he/she/it
messes about
present participle
messing about
past tense
messed about
past participle
messed about
Britishinformal
1
intransitive to behave in a silly way, especially when you should be working or paying attention to something
Stopmessing about – I’m serious about this!
Synonyms and related words
To behave in a silly way
fool around
mess about
play about
2
intransitive to spend time doing things in a relaxed way
We spent the weekendmessing about on John’s boat.
Synonyms and related words
To waste time, or to pass time doing unimportant things
fritter away
fiddle around
knock around
3
transitive (mess someone about) to treat someone badly, especially by changing your mind or by not doing what you promised
Synonyms and related words
To be cruel or unkind to someone
abuse
mistreat
oppress
4
intransitive to waste time doing things that are not important
There’s no pointmessing about. Let’s start now.
not mess about:
They don’t mess about, do they? I ordered the bookyesterday and it’s already come.
Synonyms and related words
To waste time, or to pass time doing unimportant things
fritter away
fiddle around
knock around
5
intransitive to try to change or repair something, especially when this is unnecessary or unsuccessful
mess about with:
He’ll spendhoursmessing about with that motorbike.
Synonyms and related words
To waste time, or to pass time doing unimportant things
fritter away
fiddle around
knock around
6
intransitive to have sex or a sexual relationship with someone, especially when you should not
mess about with:
Diane’s been messing around with a married man.
Synonyms and related words
To have sex
sleep with
consummate
copulate
mess up
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess up
he/she/it
messes up
present participle
messing up
past tense
messed up
past participle
messed up
1
intransitive/transitive to make a mistake, or to do something badly
She says she completelymessed up the interview.
You messed up. Don’t let it happen again.
Synonyms and related words
To make a mistake, or to do something badly
mess up
blunder
slip up
2
transitive to make something dirty or untidy
They had managed to mess up the whole office.
The wind had messed his hair up.
Synonyms and related words
To make things dirty
dirty
pollute
smear
Synonyms and related words
To make things untidy
muddle
tangle
clutter
3
transitive informalto be the cause of someone’s physical, emotional, or mental problems
Drugsreallymessed her up.
The virusmessed up my body so badly that they told me I was going to die.
Synonyms and related words
Psychological processes
catharsis
complex
conditioning
4
transitive to damage or spoil something
I’m not going to let him mess up my life.
Synonyms and related words
To damage or spoil something
damage
spoil
mark
mess with
or mess around with
transitive
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess with
he/she/it
messes with
present participle
messing with
past tense
messed with
past participle
messed with
informal
1
(mess with someone) to make someone angry, or to argue with them
I wouldn’t mess with her if I were you.
Synonyms and related words
To argue
argue
argue the toss
bandy words
Synonyms and related words
To make someone angry or annoyed
annoy
provoke
anger
2
(mess with something) to become involved with something that is dangerous
A lot of the kids had been messing with drugs.
Synonyms and related words
To take risks
risk
dare
jeopardize
3
mess with someone’s headvery informalto seriously upset someone or make them confused
Synonyms and related words
To make someone feel sad or upset
upset
wound
disturb
Synonyms and related words
To make someone unable to concentrate or think clearly
discombobulate
confuse
distract
mess
verb
US /mes/
Other entries for this word
messnoun
hot messnoun
Eton messnoun
mess hallnoun
a mess of somethingphrase
make a mess of somethingphrase
make a mess of (doing) somethingphrase
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess
he/she/it
messes
present participle
messing
past tense
messed
past participle
messed
phrase
no messing
spoken
1
used for saying that someone does something in a determined way without wasting time
He justwalked into the boss’s office and said he was leaving. No messing!
Synonyms and related words
Expressions used to talk about determination and stubbornness
where there’s a will, there’s a way
I/we etc. will not rest until...
there’s no stopping someone
phrasal verbs
mess around
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess around
he/she/it
messes around
present participle
messing around
past tense
messed around
past participle
messed around
Britishinformal
1
intransitive to behave in a silly way, especially when you should be working or paying attention to something
Stopmessing around – I’m serious about this!
Synonyms and related words
To behave in a silly way
fool around
goof around
make a fool of yourself
2
intransitive to spend time doing things in a relaxed way
We spent the weekendmessing around on John’s boat.
Synonyms and related words
To waste time, or to pass time doing unimportant things
fritter away
fiddle around
knock around
3
intransitive to waste time doing things that are not important
There’s no pointmessing around. Let’s start now.
not mess around:
They don’t mess around, do they? I ordered the bookyesterday and it’s already here.
Synonyms and related words
To waste time, or to pass time doing unimportant things
fritter away
fiddle around
knock around
4
intransitive to try to change or repair something, especially when this is unnecessary or unsuccessful
mess around with:
He’ll spendhoursmessing around with that motorcycle.
Synonyms and related words
To waste time, or to pass time doing unimportant things
fritter away
fiddle around
knock around
5
intransitive to have sex or a sexual relationship with someone, especially when you should not
mess around with:
Diane’s been messing around with a married man.
Synonyms and related words
To have sex
sleep with
consummate
copulate
6
transitive (mess someone around) to treat someone badly, especially by changing your mind or by not doing what you promised
Synonyms and related words
To be cruel or unkind to someone
abuse
mistreat
oppress
mess up
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess up
he/she/it
messes up
present participle
messing up
past tense
messed up
past participle
messed up
1
intransitive/transitive to make a mistake, or to do something badly
She thinks she completelymessed up the interview.
You messed up. Don’t let it happen again.
Synonyms and related words
To make a mistake, or to do something badly
mess up
blunder
slip up
2
transitive to make something dirty or not neat
They had managed to mess up the whole office.
The wind had messed his hair up.
Synonyms and related words
To make things dirty
dirty
pollute
smear
Synonyms and related words
To make things untidy
muddle
tangle
clutter
3
transitive informalto be the cause of someone’s physical, emotional, or mental problems
Drugsreallymessed her up.
The virusmessed up my body so badly that they told me I was going to die.
Synonyms and related words
Psychological processes
catharsis
complex
conditioning
4
transitive to damage or spoil something
I’m not going to let him mess up my life.
Synonyms and related words
To damage or spoil something
damage
spoil
mark
mess with
or mess around with
transitive
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
mess with
he/she/it
messes with
present participle
messing with
past tense
messed with
past participle
messed with
informal
1
(mess with someone) to make someone angry, or to argue with them
I wouldn’t mess with her if I were you.
Synonyms and related words
To argue
argue
bandy words
be at each other’s throats
Synonyms and related words
To make someone angry or annoyed
annoy
provoke
anger
2
(mess with something) to become involved with something that is dangerous
A lot of the kids had been messing with drugs.
Synonyms and related words
To take risks
risk
dare
jeopardize
3
to try to trick someone or cause problems for them
Synonyms and related words
To cause problems for someone or something
let down
hold back
embarrass
Synonyms and related words
To cheat or trick someone
shanghai
cheat
rip off
4
mess with someone’s headvery informalto seriously upset someone or make them confused
Don’t mess with my head; are you kidding or not?
Synonyms and related words
To make someone feel sad or upset
upset
wound
disturb
Synonyms and related words
To make someone unable to concentrate or think clearly