a dirty or untidy state of things or of a place, a situation or state of affairs that is confused or full of difficulties, a group of people, especially soldiers, who regularly eat meals together

a hot mess, make a mess of something, mess around

make a mess, clean up the mess, mess with someone

Formal and Informal Expressions of mess

In different contexts, you can replace 'mess' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'disorder, confusion' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'jumble, chaos' is a commonplace synonym.

mess: Explore its Definition & Usage

mess Definition

1a dirty or untidy state of things or of a place
2a situation or state of affairs that is confused or full of difficulties
3a group of people, especially soldiers, who regularly eat meals together

Using mess: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "mess" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The kitchen was in a mess after the party.
Example
The company's finances were in a mess.
Example
The new manager had to clean up the mess left by his predecessor.
Example
The soldiers gathered in the mess hall for breakfast.

mess Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for mess

Antonyms for mess

Idioms Using mess

a hot mess
a person or thing that is a mess in an entertaining or endearing way
Example
She showed up to the party wearing mismatched shoes and a tutu - she was a hot mess!
make a mess of something
to do something badly or incorrectly, resulting in a mess
Example
He made a mess of the presentation by forgetting his notes and stumbling over his words.
mess around
to waste time or fool around instead of doing something productive
Example
Stop messing around and finish your homework!

Phrases with mess

make a mess
to create disorder or confusion
Example
He made a mess of the project by not following the instructions.
clean up the mess
to fix or resolve a difficult or chaotic situation
Example
The government needs to clean up the mess caused by the recent scandal.
mess with someone
to bother or annoy someone
Example
Don't mess with her, she's in a bad mood today.

Origins of mess

from Old French 'mes', meaning 'portion of food'

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Summary: mess in Brief

The term 'mess' [mes] refers to a state of disorder or confusion, as well as a group of people who eat together. Examples include 'The kitchen was in a mess after the party.' and 'The soldiers gathered in the mess hall for breakfast.' Phrases like 'make a mess' and idioms like 'a hot mess' denote entertaining or endearing disorder, while 'clean up the mess' and 'make a mess of something' imply the need to fix or resolve a difficult situation.