mess up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I like to have my little secret area where I can mess up as many times as I want without any eyes on me.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

When she asks me to place a hand on my heart again, I do, repeating, “I am here. I did not mess up my kid forever. My timing is impeccable.”

From Slate • May 10, 2026

“I know if I mess up an assignment or I’m running too slow I’ll hear about it from Jack. Knowing how good he is pushes me to be better.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2025

"It's symbolic now. It's reminder that you can mess up but you can always move forward," he said.

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2025

“But your mothers are expecting you to be with us, and I don’t want to mess up any plans they might have.”

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée