Mess Definition & Meaning

mess
noun
  1. a state of confusion and disorderliness; "the house was a mess"; "she smoothed the mussiness of the bed"
  2. informal terms for a difficult situation; "he got into a terrible fix"; "he made a muddle of his marriage"
  3. soft semiliquid food; "a mess of porridge"
  4. a meal eaten in a mess hall by service personnel
  5. a (large) military dining room where service personnel eat or relax
  6. (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent; "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble"; "a lot of money"; "he made a mint on the stock market"; "see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos"; "it must have cost plenty"; "a slew of journalists"; "a wad of money"
verb
  1. eat in a mess hall
  2. make a mess of or create disorder in; "He messed up his room"

Synonyms for mess

batch noun

all the loaves of bread baked at the same time (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent

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deal noun

a particular instance of buying or selling; "it was a package deal"; "I had no further trade with him

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fix noun

informal terms for a difficult situation; "he got into a terrible fix

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flock noun

a church congregation guided by a pastor a group of birds (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent

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heap noun

a collection of objects laid on top of each other (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent

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hole noun

an opening into or through something an opening deliberately made in or through something one playing period (from tee

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jam noun

preserve of crushed fruit informal terms for a difficult situation; "he got into a terrible fix

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lot noun

(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent; "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble

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mass adj

formed of separate units gathered into a mass or whole

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messiness noun

a state of confusion and disorderliness; "the house was a mess

♫ Rhymes

"Mess" in song lyrics

See how mess is used in real songs:

  • "Rock ya vest, when you get a suction mess"
    1.4.0. Productions f/ Othorized F.A.M. — We Always Gonna Do It
  • "Dressing in my Sunday best, yea, I'm a mess"
    1.4.0. Productions f/ Crunch Lo, Lenore, Molly-Q — Life is a Mystery
  • "This house is dirty, it's a total mess"
    2 Live Crew — Yakety Yak

Words that rhyme with mess

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Usage tips for "mess"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "mess" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for mess to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with mess ↔ Synonyms for mess 🔬 Words containing mess

Frequently asked questions

What does mess mean?
a state of confusion and disorderliness; "the house was a mess"; "she smoothed the mussiness of the bed" informal terms for a difficult situation; "he got into a terrible fix"; "he made a muddle of his marriage" soft semiliquid food; "a mess of porridge" a meal eaten in a mess hall by service personnel a (large) military dining room where service personnel eat or relax (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent; "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble"; "a lot of money
What part of speech is mess?
Mess is a noun and a verb.
How many definitions does mess have?
Mess has 8 definitions across 2 parts of speech (noun, verb).

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