messy

Everyday

1. Untidy or dirty: «a messy room». tree →
2. Making things dirty or untidy: «a messy job like painting». tree →
3. Complicated and unpleasant: «a messy argument». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life: messy bedrooms, messy eating, messy play with paint and sand; tidying up is good manners and safety (things on the floor cause trips). In school, «messy handwriting» is hard to read. Phrases: «messy room», «messy hair», «messy play».

Examples

• My room is very messy. tree →
• Painting is messy, so wear an apron. tree →
• Spaghetti is a messy food. tree →
• His handwriting is too messy to read. tree →
• The baby is a messy eater. tree →
• Toys on a messy floor can make people trip. tree →
• The end of their friendship was messy. tree →
• He had carried Tinker Bell part of the way, and his hand was still messy with the fairy dust. tree →

Note

Comparatives: messier, messiest. Noun: mess. Opposite: tidy, neat. «Messy» about a situation means it is complicated, not dirty.