1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
messed up the drawing and had to start over
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
a nap had messed up her hair and she looked a sight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stumble
to make a mistake
if anyone messes up even once while we're recording, we have to start all over again
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4
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
threatened that he would mess him up if he cheated at the game
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for mess (up)
Verb
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After wide receiver Courtland Sutton fumbled at the goal line, the Panthers marched down the field on a 10-play, 98-yard scoring drive, which ended with Young finding Coker for a 15-yard touchdown pass.Ryan McFadden, The Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2024
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Even in that moment, he got stuck on a couple of words and fumbled the line.ABC NEWS, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2024
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Harris supporters called Trump a threat to democracy for his refusal to concede his 2020 loss to Biden, unfounded election fraud claims and his supporters’ Capitol riot to disrupt Biden’s presidential certification.Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
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Trump's false claims of victory came to a head on January 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters rioted inside the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the formal confirmation of Biden as the winner of the 2020 election.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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The Denver Nuggets have stumbled to a bumpy start this season, even while being generally healthy.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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The search party has stumbled upon two marble statues—the amplituhedron and now surfaceology.Charlie Wood, WIRED, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Nomi Malone licking the stripper pole in Showgirls?Lily Burana, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
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In the series premiere, Rio licked Agatha’s hand in a sapphic (and slightly blood-play oriented) moment of intimacy, and the two also had an almost-kiss at the end of episode four.Quispe López, Them, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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It is defined by his combative personality, his lack of inhibitions, his willingness to ignore democratic norms to go places others won’t and blow past previous political boundaries in ways many find alarming − such as threatening to use the military against Americans who oppose him.David Jackson, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
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Supersonic gales blow at 1,200 miles per hour, around five times faster than the strongest gusts ever measured on Earth.Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
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Of the almost 600,000 electric scooter trips the city logged between May and September, Lime accounted for about 89% and Spin, its competitor, made up the remaining.Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 4 Nov. 2024
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Consider light-colored clothing or reflective tape for costumes, and adjust costume length to avoid tripping.Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Oct. 2024
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While the technical side of blockchain may still confuse most people, the concept of digital currency is mainstream.Lisa Loud, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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All these bases on balls confused fans back in Los Angeles; nobody walks in L.A.Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
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The Super Bowl contender hiding in plain sight Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract in early 2019 in what was a record deal at the time.David K. Li, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
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But Bill Belichick has nothing in particular to offer when journalists ask about coaches hiding the effects of the disease.Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Mess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mess%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
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