Dictionary

mess up en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.
   • […] kwatumas, those aggressive and sharp-toothed eels that so thoroughly mess up one's tackle when hooked […] 1962, S. Schoeman, Strike!: A Handbook of Angling in South African Coastal Waters, page 58:
   • The afternoon breeze messed up my hair.
2. (transitive) To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
   • The change messed something up, and it's not working anymore.
3. (transitive) To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.
   • Well, I messed up my solo, but otherwise it was a good concert.
4. (intransitive) To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.
   • He has a hard time getting started because he's afraid he'll mess up.
   • What? Are we all just supposed to forgive this? This guy messed up in the worst possible way he could! Now we have nothing! 2026 June 19, Gooseworx, “Remember” (1:19 from the start), in The Amazing Digital Circus, episode 9, spoken by Jax (Michael Kovach):
   • She messed up on her final exam.
5. (transitive) To cause (another person) to make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.
   • Stop bumping me! You keep messing me up!
6. (transitive) To damage; injure.
   • He messed up his elbow at the track meet.
7. (slang, transitive) To manhandle; beat up; rough up.
   • Her brother's friends messed him up a little after he cheated on her.
8. (slang, transitive) To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.
   • That girl totally messed me up, man. I'm not sure who I am anymore.

Forms

Deriveds

messup · mess-up · unmessupable

Relateds

messed up

Synonyms

fuck up · jack up (damage, injure) · louse up (cause an error or problem in) · gum · gum · screw up (damage, injure) · screw up · fuck up (make a physical mess of) · foul up · screw up (cause (another) to make mistakes) · jack up (cause an error or problem in) · fuck up (intransitive: make a mistake, perform poorly) · fuck up (manhandle, rough up) · fuck up (discombobulate, throw into mental disarray) · fuck up (cause an error or problem in) · screw up (cause an error or problem in) · fuck up (damage, injure)

Translations (81)

es chambonear a (to cause an error or problem in) · de verpfuschen (transitive: to botch, bungle) · es embrollar (to cause an error or problem in) · tpi bagarapim (to cause an error or problem in) · fi pahoinpidellä (to manhandle, beat up) · sk rozhádzať (to throw into a state of mental disarray) · es enmarañar (to cause an error or problem in) · mi whakapōrohe (to make a mess of) · es desbarajustar (to make a mess of) · es embarrarla (to cause an error or problem in) · ru сбить с толку (to throw into a state of mental disarray) · eo fuŝi (to cause an error or problem in) · fi mokata (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fi vahingoittaa (to damage; injure) · hu elront (transitive: to botch, bungle) · it incasinare (to make a mess of) · es descolocar (to throw into a state of mental disarray) · sk zbabrať (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fi antaa turpaan (to manhandle, beat up) · de durcheinanderbringen (to make a mess of) · ru повредить (to damage; injure) · fr foirer (to cause an error or problem in) · sk pokaziť (to cause an error or problem in) · pt desarrumar (to make a mess of) · es desbaratar (to cause an error or problem in) · de verpatzen (transitive: to botch, bungle) · de vermasseln (to make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly) · sv stöka till (to make a mess of) · es estropear (to cause an error or problem in) · sk rozhádzať (to make a mess of) · gl mexer (to make a mess of) · fr bâcler (transitive: to botch, bungle) · es chapucear (to cause an error or problem in) · tl guluhin (to cause an error or problem in) · es desmadrar (to cause an error or problem in) · sk kaziť (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fi sekoittaa (to make a mess of) · fi möhliä (transitive: to botch, bungle) · es echar a perder (to cause an error or problem in) · fi epäonnistua (to make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly) · fr rater (transitive: to botch, bungle) · io kulpegar (to make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly) · sk pokaziť (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fr gâcher (to make a mess of) · tpi bagarap (to cause an error or problem in) · tpi bagarapim (to make a mess of) · es embolicar (to cause an error or problem in) · es desmadrar (to make a mess of) · fi tumpeloida (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fi sekoittaa (to throw into a state of mental disarray) · sk vybuchnúť (to make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly) · fi sekoittaa (to cause an error or problem in) · es fregar (to cause an error or problem in) · ru провалиться (to make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly) · sk zbabrať to (to make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly) · sk dobiť (to manhandle, beat up) · gl chafallar (to make a mess of) · hu elszúr (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fi loukata (to damage; injure) · de verkorksen (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fi sotkea (to make a mess of) · fi häiritä (to cause to make unwanted mistakes) · fi särkeä (to cause an error or problem in) · sk rozbiť (to damage; injure) · fr foirer (transitive: to botch, bungle) · nl verrommelen (to make a mess of) · fi panna sekaisin (to throw into a state of mental disarray) · nl in de war brengen (to make a mess of) · tpi bagarap (to make a mess of) · sk kaziť (to cause an error or problem in) · de vermurksen (transitive: to botch, bungle) · fi panna sekaisin (to make a mess of) · es desbarahustar (to make a mess of) · fi rikkoa (to cause an error or problem in) · fi sotkea (to make a mess of) · es embarullar (to make a mess of) · es perjudicar (to cause an error or problem in) · tl guluhin (to make a mess of) · fi sählätä (transitive: to botch, bungle) · uk псувати (to damage; injure) · pt bagunçar (to make a mess of)