messy

UK: /ˈmɛsi/ US: /ˈmɛsi/ ,(mes′ē)

Inflections of 'messy' (adj):

messier

adj comparative

messiest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mess•y /ˈmɛsi/   adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

1. dirty, untidy, or disorderly:
   very messy in his personal habits.
2. jumbled; confused;
   involving trouble or danger:
   a difficult, messy situation.

mess•i•ly /ˈmɛsəli/  adv. 
mess•i•ness, n. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mess•y  (mes′ē), adj., mess•i•er, mess•i•est. 

1. characterized by a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition:
   a messy room.
2. causing a mess:
   a messy recipe; messy work.
3. embarrassing, difficult, or unpleasant:
   a messy political situation.
4. characterized by moral or psychological confusion.

• mess + -y¹ 1835–45

mess′i•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

messy / ˈmɛsɪ/ adjective (messier, messiest)

1. dirty, confused, or untidy

ˈmessily adverb

ˈmessiness noun