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Dictionary.com
Definitions

messed up

VERB
disorder, dirty
Synonyms
WEAK
befoul besmirch bobble bollix botch bungle clutter confuse damage derange destroy disarrange discompose dishevel disorganize disturb foul goof up gum up jumble litter louse up muddle pollute ruin rummage scramble screw up smear soil spoil unsettle upset
Antonyms
WEAK
arrange order organize tidy
messed-up
ADJECTIVE
damaged
Synonyms
STRONGEST
flawed impaired injured run-down
STRONG
bent blemished busted dinged down flubbed gone hurt marred shot snafued spoiled sunk totaled
WEAK
beat-up fouled-up glitched imperfect in need of repair in poor condition in smithereens kaput loused up mucked up no-go on the blink on the fritz out of action out of kilter out of whack screwed-up unsound
Antonyms
STRONGEST
healthy
WEAK
OK fixed mended perfect repaired unbroken undamaged working
ADJECTIVE
disconcerted
Synonyms
STRONG
annoyed bewildered distracted disturbed embarrassed fazed flustered nonplussed perturbed rattled ruffled thrown troubled unsettled unzipped upset
WEAK
caught off balance come apart in botheration mixed-up out of countenance psyched-out shook-up spaced-out taken aback unglued
Antonyms
STRONG
happy settled
WEAK
calm composed concerted soothed unworried
ADJECTIVE
disheveled
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bedraggled messy rumpled
STRONG
dirty disarranged disarrayed disordered ruffled tousled unbuttoned unzipped
WEAK
bagged out beat up blowzy frowzy grubby mussed-up mussy scuzzy slipshod sloppy slovenly uncombed unfastidious untidy
Antonyms
STRONGEST
clean
STRONG
neat ordered
WEAK
orderly tidy unwrinkled
ADJECTIVE
maladjusted
Synonyms
WEAK
abnormal disturbed muddled neurotic unfit unstable
ADJECTIVE
puzzled
Synonyms
STRONGEST
baffled bewildered clueless doubtful mystified perplexed rattled
STRONG
bollixed discombobulated floored lost nonplussed shook stuck stumped thrown
WEAK
at a loss at sea come apart come unzipped dopey foggy fouled-up hung up in a fog loused up mind-blown mixed up mucked up screwed-up shook-up spaced out unglued without a clue
Antonyms
STRONGEST
clear
WEAK
aware certain cognizant sure
ADJECTIVE
slipshod
Synonyms
WEAK
bedraggled botched disheveled faulty fly-by-night fouled-up haphazard imperfect inaccurate inexact junky loose messy neglected negligent raunchy screwed-up scrubby scruffy shabby shoddy slapdash sloppy slovenly tacky tattered threadbare unkempt unmeticulous unsystematic unthorough untidy
Antonyms
WEAK
careful neat polished refined well-done
ADJECTIVE
slovenly
Synonyms
WEAK
bedraggled botched careless dingy disheveled disorderly dowdy down-at-the-heel frowzy frumpy grody grubby grungy heedless icky loose messy mussy negligent pigpen raunchy seedy slack slapdash sleazy slipshod sloppy tacky topsy-turvy unfastidious unkempt unthorough untidy
Antonyms
WEAK
clean ordered organized
ADJECTIVE
tousled
Synonyms
STRONG
dirty disarranged disheveled disordered ruffled rumpled tangled
WEAK
grubby messy mussed-up sloppy uncombed unkempt
Antonyms
STRONG
neat ordered orderly
WEAK
kempt
ADJECTIVE
unkempt
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bedraggled dilapidated disheveled grubby grungy messy neglected rumpled scruffy shaggy
WEAK
coarse crude dirty disarranged disarrayed disordered mussed-up rough slipshod slovenly tousled unclean uncombed unfastidious ungroomed unimproved unneat unpolished untidy vulgar
Antonyms
STRONGEST
clean kempt neat ordered smooth tidy
WEAK
trim
ADJECTIVE
unorganized
Synonyms
STRONGEST
untidy
WEAK
all over the place chaotic cluttered confused dislocated disordered jumbled messy mixed up scattered scrambled sloppy unarranged unkempt unsystematic

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.

“Kaley came from a messed up home life,” Lanier said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

First controller: "Yeah, I know. I was here. I tried to reach out to my staff. And we were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up."

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

"I was trying to chase back down and I messed up at another corner. It wasn't the cleanest, which was a shame because I qualified really well yesterday and it felt good in practice."

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

“I’m classier than that. I was just caught up in the moment. Emotions get high. I won’t sit here and act like I’m a perfect man. I messed up when I did that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2025

I want to rip them off, stupid baby feet, but Uhmma said Gomo would be sad if I messed up the special birthday shoes that Gomo and Uncle Tim picked out just for me.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na