Pronunciation: /mɛs/

Definitions of mess

noun a dirty or untidy state of things or of a place

Example Sentences

A1 The room is a mess with toys scattered everywhere.

A2 I made a mess in the kitchen while cooking dinner.

B1 The project turned into a real mess when the team couldn't agree on a direction.

B2 The company's financial records were in a complete mess and needed to be sorted out.

C1 The political situation in the country is a complete mess with no clear solution in sight.

C2 The legal case was a complex mess of conflicting evidence and testimonies.

verb eat or drink (something) in a rapid, casual, or unskillful way

Example Sentences

A1 I accidentally made a mess while cooking dinner.

A2 My room is a mess, I need to clean it up.

B1 The new intern really messed up the presentation.

B2 The company's financial records were a complete mess.

C1 The project was in a mess until the new manager took over.

C2 The political situation in the country is a complete mess.

Examples of mess in a Sentence

formal The office was in a complete mess after the renovation.

informal Don't make a mess in the kitchen while cooking.

slang I can't believe you made such a mess of the situation.

figurative Her emotions were a tangled mess after the breakup.

Grammatical Forms of mess

past tense

messed

plural

messes

comparative

messier

superlative

messiest

present tense

mess

future tense

will mess

perfect tense

have messed

continuous tense

is messing

singular

mess

positive degree

messy

infinitive

to mess

gerund

messing

participle

messed

Origin and Evolution of mess

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'mess' originated from the Latin word 'missus', which means a portion of food or a course at a meal.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'mess' evolved to also mean a disordered or untidy state, as well as a group of people who regularly eat meals together, such as in a military mess hall.