✅ Messy means disorganized, untidy, or chaotic (Her desk was so messy she couldn’t find her pen).
✅ Unkempt refers to something that is not well-maintained or cared for, particularly in appearance (His unkempt hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in days).
✅ Both words describe a lack of neatness.
✅ Messy is more general and applies to anything disordered, while unkempt is used more specifically for physical appearance or spaces (The kitchen was messy after the party; The unkempt garden was overgrown with weeds).

✅ Afterward means at a later time, after something else has occurred (We had dinner and went for ice cream afterward).
✅ Thereupon is a more formal term meaning immediately after something (The jury gave their verdict, thereupon the judge issued the sentence).
✅ Both words describe a sequence of events.
✅ Afterward is more casual and can refer to any point later in time, while thereupon suggests immediate action or consequence (We’ll meet for coffee afterward; Thereupon, the contract was signed).

✅ Difficulty refers to something that is hard to accomplish or manage (He had difficulty understanding the instructions).
✅ Predicament refers to a difficult or unpleasant situation that’s hard to escape (She found herself in a predicament when her car broke down in the middle of nowhere).
✅ Both words relate to challenging situations.
✅ Difficulty is more general, while predicament implies a more specific or uncomfortable situation, often with consequences (He had difficulty solving the puzzle; She was in a predicament after losing her wallet).