WordGarden.iomess
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /mˈɛs/
US
- /ˈmɛs/
Meanings
Noun
a dirty, untidy, or badly disordered state or thing
a difficult, confused, or badly managed situation
a military dining hall or the group of people who eat together there
Beyond the definition
A mess is more than just dirt on the floor. It can mean a place that is untidy, like a bedroom full of clothes and books, or a situation that has gone wrong and is now hard to fix. You can make a mess while cooking, painting, or moving things around. You can also be in a mess if your plans fail or you make a bad mistake.
It is also common in informal English. If someone says a person is a "hot mess," they usually mean that the person seems very chaotic or emotionally all over the place. The word often carries a feeling of confusion, trouble, or lack of control, whether people are talking about a room, a plan, or someone's life.
"Mess" is a surprisingly versatile word. At its most basic, it describes a state of disorder or untidiness—a room strewn with clothes, a desk covered in papers, or a kitchen after a particularly enthusiastic cooking session. For example: "The children left a terrible mess in the living room!"
However, "mess" goes far beyond physical clutter. It often refers to a complicated, confused, or troublesome situation. "He found himself in a real mess after losing his job and getting evicted." This use suggests difficulty and possible consequences. You might even describe a friend as a "hot mess," meaning they seem chaotic and perhaps a bit disorganized, yet still somehow endearing.
Historically, "mess" also referred to a portion of food served to soldiers or sailors—a communal meal shared by a group. This sense of shared dining is still preserved in military terminology, such as an "officers' mess," which refers to the hall where officers eat.
As a verb, mess appears in common phrases such as mess up, which means to spoil, damage, or do something badly ("I really messed up that interview"), and mess with, which can mean to bother, interfere with, or provoke someone ("Don't mess with my plans"). It also appears in mess around, meaning to waste time, behave in a silly way, or spend time in a playful way.
Whether you're describing a chaotic space, a difficult life situation, a shared meal, or a playful disruption, "mess" perfectly captures the essence of disorder, complication, and sometimes, a little bit of delightful chaos.
Examples
- 1
Kitchen cleanup
The kitchen is a mess after dinner.
- 2
Avoiding spills
Please use a tray so you don't make a mess on the sofa.
- 3
Handwriting
His handwriting is such a mess that I can't read his notes.
- 4
Project planning
The whole project became a mess when the deadline changed.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Finances
Our finances are in a mess after the move.
- Phrasein a mess
in a bad or disorganized state
- 6
Bad performance
I made a mess of the presentation and forgot the key points.
- Patternmake a mess of + task
do it badly
- 7
Booking mistake
I messed up the booking and chose the wrong date.
- Patternmess up + task
do it badly or make a mistake with it
- 8
Settings
Don't mess with the settings unless you know what they do.
- Patternmess with + thing
touch or change it carelessly
- 9
Joking or confusion
Are you messing with me, or is that really true?
- Patternmess with + person
joke with them or try to confuse them
- 10
Emotional state
She was a complete mess after hearing the news.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- messnounverb
Forms
- messedpast tenseverbnoun
- messing-ing formverbnoun
- messespluralnounverb