Messy
/ˈmɛsi/
Definitions
2 meaningsCharacterized by a lack of order or cleanliness; untidy or dirty.
/ˈmɛsi/
Lacking order and tidiness; dirty or untidy.
His room is always messy.
💡 Simply: Imagine your room after a fun day of playing. If toys are everywhere, clothes are on the floor, and things are jumbled up, then your room is messy!
👶 For kids: When things are all mixed up and not neat.
More Examples
The artist's studio was beautifully messy, filled with paints and canvases.
The kitchen was messy after we baked cookies.
How It's Used
"The living room was messy after the children played."
"Her hair was messy from the wind."
"The situation became messy due to the miscommunication."
Difficult to deal with or resolve; involving many problems or complications.
/ˈmɛsi/
Involving or causing problems or difficulties; complicated and unpleasant.
The divorce became a messy legal battle.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, problems or situations get complicated and difficult, like trying to untangle a ball of yarn. That situation is 'messy' because it’s hard to sort out!
👶 For kids: When things are hard and have lots of problems.
More Examples
The negotiation process proved messy and time-consuming.
The aftermath of the argument was messy.
How It's Used
"Their breakup was a messy affair."
"The company's financial situation was becoming messy."
"The political situation was becoming messy."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
make a mess
To create a situation of disorder or untidiness.
"The kids always make a mess when they play with the art supplies."
get messy
To become complicated, difficult, or unpleasant.
"The situation quickly got messy when the police got involved."
From Middle English *messy, equivalent to mess + -y. The word 'mess' itself likely comes from the Old French word 'mes', which meant 'a portion of food' or 'a course in a meal', and evolved to include the idea of disorder.
The use of 'messy' to describe a state of disorder has been present in English since the late 16th century.
Memory tip
Think of a 'mess' and add '-y' – a state of being a mess.