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mess-up

mess-up

9 5.1
A situation that is badly organized and full of mistakes
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛsˌʌp/
  • Informal
translation icon : metedura de pata
  • By far the biggest mess up I've ever had is hiring the right people.
  • clean this mess-up
  • clear this mess-up

By far the biggest mess up I've ever had is hiring the right people.

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Examples

Synonyms

mess
vsmess-up
1.0

A situation in which things are untidy and confused

is more specific to a mishandled or botched job outcome
fiasco
vsmess-up
76 6.2

A complete embarrassing failure that happens suddenly and causes big problems

is broader and may include less total or humiliating botches
mix-up
vsmess-up
53 3.3

A mistake that happens when someone confuses one thing with another

is not limited to item confusion and covers general poor handling
blunder
vsmess-up
49 3.0

A careless mistake that causes embarrassment or problems

covers both single errors and broader mishandled situations
screw-up
vsmess-up
  • Informal
33 6.1

A careless mistake that causes problems or embarrassment

applies to any botched or muddled job beyond single careless slips
screwup
vsmess-up
  • Informal
20 6.5

A problem that happens because of a big mistake and spoils plans

covers poorly handled jobs of any seriousness, not only major failures
fuckup
vsmess-up
  • Offensive
5 9.9

A serious or embarrassing mistake that causes problems

is used broadly for any poorly organized or handled result
foul-up
vsmess-up
  • Informal
5 7.7

A serious, embarrassing mistake often caused by confusion or poor planning

is broader and includes messy outcomes beyond single embarrassing mistakes
bungle
vsmess-up
3 6.5

A careless mistake that shows a lack of skill

is broader, applying to whole botched jobs as well as single errors
mish
vsmess-up
  • Informal
3 9.9

A small problem that causes confusion or delay

focuses on a botched or muddled finished result rather than general mistakes
botch
vsmess-up
3 7.6

An embarrassing mistake that happens because of bad or careless work

is broader, covering whole badly organized jobs as well as single clumsy acts
major screwup
vsmess-up
  • Informal
1 5.6

A big mistake that causes serious problems

can describe both small muddles and large botched results
cockup
vsmess-up
  • Slang
1 9.6

A serious mistake that happens because of confusion or poor planning

is the general name for a badly handled situation, not only blunders
balls-up
vsmess-up
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A situation made into a big mess by careless or bad actions

is any badly organized or handled result, not only total botches
big fuckup
vsmess-up
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A very serious mistake that causes big problems, often because someone was careless

is the general idea of a botched job regardless of cause
dog's breakfast
vsmess-up
  • UK
1 9.5

A situation or job that is very messy and done badly

is the general expression for any poorly organized or handled outcome
ballup
vsmess-up
  • NSFW
9.9

A confused, badly organized situation that causes problems

is a general label for poorly organized or handled outcomes
complete buttfuck
vsmess-up
  • Offensive
9.9

A very bad, chaotic situation used as rude slang

is the neutral everyday term for a badly organized or handled result
snafu
vsmess-up
  • Slang
9.9

In a state of complete confusion because of a mistake or bad planning

focuses on a botched result rather than the chaotic state alone
pasticcio
vsmess-up
  • Informal
9.9

A confused mixture of things that makes a mess

is the everyday label for a poorly organized or handled result
muddlement
vsmess-up
7.9

A state of confusion where things are unclear or messy

is about a finished botched job rather than the confusing state itself
trip-up
vsmess-up
6.5

A small mistake that causes embarrassment or trouble

can describe both small unintentional errors and larger botched results

Antonyms

1.0

Getting what you want after working hard

How Bad

fiasco
76 6.2
debacle
75 8.5
mess-up
  • Informal
9 5.1
mistake
1.0

Surface Forms

mess-up singular
mess-ups plural

Morphology

mess-up = mess + up (transparent) = mess + up

The noun is a direct nominalization/compound of the phrasal verb 'mess up' (mess + up), so its meaning as a botched situation is predictable from the verb.

Etymology

The word mess-up joins mess, which means 'a dirty or mixed-up state', and up, which shows something has gone wrong, so a 'mess-up' is a job or situation that has been badly done or badly organised.