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DictionarymessUntidiness
noun / verb

mess

MESS/mes/

A state of untidy or uncontrolled disorder.

Tangled cables, scattered pens, and crumpled papers make a mess of the desk.

Untidy desktop with tangled cables, spilled pens, crumpled papers and a tipped cup.
Etymology
messLatinto put, place; send

From placing food on a table, mess first meant a portion or meal. Its later sense of mixed food probably led to “a jumble,” then to disorder and untidiness.

In context

Cleveland Clinic7:07
they're looking at like every room is a mess i've got so much stuff i need to get rid of it
Decluttering Your Life: How Cleaning and Mental Health Are Connected | Dawn Potter, PsyD

More examples

  • A missed deadline turns the project into a mess.
  • I'm a mess whenever I don't get enough sleep.
  • Please don't mess with the settings on my phone.

Forms

mess · messes · messed · messing

messy adjective — Untidy, dirty, or difficult to manage.

Similar words

clutter
Means accumulated objects, not an emotionally troubled person or situation.
disorder
Emphasizes a lack of order rather than dirt or trouble.
confusion
Emphasizes uncertainty or misunderstanding rather than physical untidiness.