adj
messy
MEH-see
adj
1
Untidy, disorganized, or dirty.
"His desk was messy, covered in papers and old coffee cups."
"The kids left the playroom completely messy."
2
Complicated, awkward, or unpleasant to deal with, especially of a situation or relationship.
"The divorce turned into a messy legal battle."
How to Use Messy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUntidy or dirty, or (for situations) complicated and unpleasant.
Common pairings
messy room
messy breakup
messy situation
Word Forms
messier comparative, messiest superlative
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His desk was _____, covered in papers and old coffee cups.
Etymology
From mess + the adjective-forming suffix -y.