Collocations for "mess"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "mess" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
mess
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- mess up your [room, hair]
- [don't, you'll] mess my hair up
- mess everything up (for me)
- mess up the [problem, answer, exam, numbers]
- messed the [problem] up
- messed up his [friendship, relationship] with
- messed it all up
- [don't, try not to] mess this up
- I've messed up [at work, my life, again]
- slang: the [gang, bullies] messed him up
- (don't) mess with me
- messed with his [emotions, feelings]
- messed with the [numbers, results]
- messing around with her
- mess around on the [internet, computer]
- messing around during [class, the movie, presentation]
- (don't) mess around with [drugs, meth, knives]
- UK: stop messing about
- a [total, complete, real] mess
- is a [total] mess in here
- UK: is a bloody mess
- the [soldiers', army, military, officers'] mess
- the [car, room, living room, garage] is a mess
- the [car] is (in) a [complete, total] mess
- her [handwriting, work, assignment] is a mess
- my [affairs, clothes] are in a mess
- his head is in a mess
- the [children, students] made a lot of mess
- [don't, try not to] make a mess
- tidy up [this, your] mess
- made a (complete) mess of the [speech, penalty, project]
- made a real mess of the [soup, dinner, cake]
- have gotten yourself into a real mess
- you've got me in a real mess!
- how are you going to get us out of this mess?
- a mess of [papers, documents, paperwork]
- a (real) mess of a [teacher, lawyer]
- slang: [he, that girl] is [a, one] hot mess
- is giving me the mess-around
- the mess [hall, area, room, tent]
'mess' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
adult
- almighty
- awful
- bleeding
- bloody
- claw
- clean
- clear
- climb
- complete
- disgusting
- disregard
- dump
- fine
- glitter
- janitor
- lump
- make
- mop
- muddle
- my
- outright
- politic
- real
- rely
- right
- royal
- scoop
- sick
- sorry
- sort
- straighten
- sweep
- tangle
- tangled
- through
- tidy
- trust
- tuck
- twisted
- usually
- utter
- wade
- weeping
- whole
- wipe
- yell