Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To make something dirty or untidy; to create disorder in something: To cause a state of confusion, disarray, or untidiness in a physical space or a situation.
   • To handle something very badly; to ruin or spoil something: To fail at a task or to perform it very poorly, often resulting in a negative outcome.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To make a mistake or perform poorly: To fail to do something correctly; to blunder.

Examples of Usage

• Verb (transitive): "Please don't mess up the living room; I just cleaned it." "He was nervous and completely messed up his job interview." "The bad weather messed up our travel plans."

• Verb (intransitive): "I'm sorry, I messed up. I forgot to send the important email." "If you don't concentrate, you'll mess up on the test."

Advanced Usage

• "to mess something up": To cause disorder or failure in a specific thing. "The new software update really messed up my computer."

• "to mess up big time": (Informal) To make a very serious or significant mistake. "The accountant messed up big time and lost the company a lot of money."

• Reflexive use: "to mess oneself up": (Informal) To cause oneself emotional or psychological harm. "He really messed himself up after that traumatic experience."

Variants and Related Words

• Mess (n): A dirty or untidy state of things; a situation that is confused or full of problems. "Your room is a complete mess." "The project turned into a bureaucratic mess."

• Messed up (adj): (Informal) In a state of disorder; ruined; or, describing a person who is emotionally confused or distressed. "The files are all messed up." "He's pretty messed up after the accident."

Synonyms

• Botch: To carry out a task badly or carelessly.
• Screw up: (Informal) To make a mistake or mismanage something.
• Ruin: To destroy or severely damage something.
• Disorganize: To disrupt the orderly structure of something.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Mess about/around: To behave in a silly or aimless way; to waste time. "Stop messing around and get to work!"

• Mess with: (Informal) To interfere with or become involved with someone or something, often provocatively. "You don't want to mess with him; he's dangerous."

Related Idioms

• Make a mess of something: To do something very badly; to ruin something. "I made a complete mess of the presentation."

• A mess of one's own making: A problematic situation that one has caused for oneself. "He's in a financial mess of his own making."

Verb

1. make a mess of or create disorder in
   • He messed up his room
2. disturb the smoothness of
   • ruffle the surface of the water
3. make a mess of, destroy or ruin
   • I botched the dinner and we had to eat out
   • the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement