Meaning
- To make a mistake or do something incorrectly.
- To make something untidy, dirty, or broken.
- To harm or confuse someone emotionally or psychologically.
- To physically injure or beat someone.
Today's Sentences
01
The wind totally messed up my hair.
Situation
The wind totally messed up my hair.
Don’t worry, it looks stylish.
I feel like I just went through a tornado.
Your hair and outfit look planned.
You look great!
02
The champ totally messed up her opponent.
Situation
Did you see the boxing match last night?
Yeah, the champ totally messed up her opponent.
It was brutal.
She could barely stand.
One more round and she’d have been completely messed up.
Writer's Note
"Mess up" is an intransitive, transitive, and separable phrasal verb. Let’s dive in!
- Intransitive - Does not require a direct object to complete its meaning.
Structure: "Subject + mess up"
Example 1: I always mess up when I’m nervous.
Example 2: He really messed up during the interview.
Example 3: She messes up whenever she rushes. - Transitive - Requires a direct object (a noun or pronoun) to complete its meaning.
Structure: "Subject + mess + object + up"
Example 1: The horror movie really messed me up.
Example 2: The breakup messed her up for months.
Example 3: His childhood trauma messed him up badly. - Separable - When the particle and verb can be separated.
Structure: "Subject + mess + object + up"
Example 1: He threatened to mess me up if I told anyone.
Example 2: The boxer really messed his opponent up in the ring.
Example 3: Be careful, or they’ll mess you up.
Related Words: Botch, bungle, confuse, damage, disarrange, disorganize, flub, muddle, ruin, spoil, upset
