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make a mess of

NOUN

ruination

Synonyms

STRONG

bane bankrupt beggar botch break bust crush defeat defile destroyer destruction downfall drain exhaust fleece mangle mar overthrow overturn pillage rape sack smash spoil total undoing wrack wreck wrecker

WEAK

decimate deface demolish deplete deplore depredate desecrate despoil devour dilapidate disfigure do in impoverish injure maim mutilate overwhelm pauperize ravish raze reduce shatter use up wipe out

VERB

bungle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

botch err flub fudge gum up miscalculate mishandle mismanage muff screw up

STRONG

boggle butcher fumble mar ruin spoil

WEAK

ball up drop the ball foul up goof up louse up mess up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

succeed

STRONG

grow help

WEAK

do well fix manage

VERB

butcher

Synonyms

STRONGEST

mutilate

STRONG

botch destroy spoil wreck

WEAK

bollix up goof up louse up screw up

Antonyms

STRONG

build improve repair

VERB

err

Synonyms

STRONGEST

misbehave miscalculate stray stumble

STRONG

blow blunder bollix deviate fall flub goof lapse misapprehend misjudge muff offend sin snafu transgress trespass wander

WEAK

be in error be inaccurate be incorrect be mistaken drop the ball foul up go astray go wrong louse up mess up screw up slip up snarl up

Antonyms

STRONG

behave obey stay

WEAK

correct

VERB

flounder

Synonyms

STRONGEST

flop stumble wallow

STRONG

blunder bobble flummox fumble grope labor lurch muddle plunge pratfall snafu strive thrash toil toss travail tumble

WEAK

cast about come apart at the seams drop the ball fall down foul up go at backwards go to pieces miss one's cue screw up slip up stub one's toe trip up work at

Antonyms

STRONG

idle laze

WEAK

do well succeed

VERB

mishandle/mismanage

Synonyms

WEAK

abuse be incompetent be inefficient blow blunder botch bungle confound err flub foul up fumble goof goof up gum up harm make a hash of maladminister misapply misconduct misdirect misemploy misgovern mistreat misuse muff overlook pervert prostitute put foot in screw up shoot oneself in foot

Antonyms

WEAK

handle manage

VERB

muddle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

befuddle clutter complicate derange discombobulate disturb fluster perturb

STRONG

addle bewilder blunder botch bungle confound daze disarrange disorder disorient entangle foul jumble mess mix muck mumble murmur nonplus perplex rattle ravel ruffle scramble shuffle snafu snarl spoil stumble stupefy tangle throw tumble

WEAK

foul up louse up misarrange mix up psych out stir up throw off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm comfort explain order soothe

STRONG

arrange clarify clear up do well enlighten fix help organize speak clearly succeed uncomplicate untangle untwist

WEAK

educate explicate

VERB

muff

Synonyms

STRONGEST

botch flub fumble mishandle

STRONG

blunder boggle choke err miscalculate mismanage slip

WEAK

drop the ball foul up goof up mess up screw up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

do well

STRONG

correct

VERB

pauperize

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bankrupt impoverish ruin

STRONG

beggar break bust deplete drain exhaust fleece injure reduce wreck

WEAK

bring down bring to ruin clean out depredate pillage spoliate use up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

enrich make rich

STRONG

better oneself feather one's nest move up in the world profit

WEAK

aid avail benefit help serve

VERB

ruin

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bankrupt crush decimate demolish deplete exhaust impoverish injure mar overwhelm raze shatter spoil wipe out wrack wreck

STRONG

beggar botch break bust deface defeat defile deplore desecrate despoil devour dilapidate disfigure drain fleece maim mangle mutilate overthrow overturn pauperize pillage rape ravish reduce sack smash total

WEAK

bring down bring to ruin clean out depredate do in lay waste spoliate use up wreak havoc on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

build construct create fix heal mend repair

STRONG

adorn beautify cure protect strengthen

WEAK

develop grow

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I tried to make a mess of a pretty basic chip there on 18," Scheffler said.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

But the Scotsman overhit an eight iron off the tee at the 13th to miss the green and a fourth bogey soon followed, only for Scheffler to make a mess of the next.

From BBC • Aug. 17, 2025

Kittell said the storm could make a mess of the Monday morning commute, including freeway flooding and major delays across L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2024

Using Magic Eraser will make a mess of it trying to clone it out of existence, but Camouflage will do just enough to make it less of a distraction.

From The Verge • Jul. 23, 2022

They stand in broken columns and flurry with both arms and both legs and they are not afraid to make a mess of themselves.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

make a mess of

Example Sentences

Related Words