as in mess
a state in which everything is out of order
careful planning had eliminated most of the muss that usually accompanies a move to a new house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
the wind mussed up my hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of muss
Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 18 Jan. 2023
James, Sami, Jesse, Cassidy, and Karla (all from the super alliance of seven) sat out without much muss or fuss.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Nov. 2022
Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
The half-zip design can be slipped over your head without mussing up your hair and makeup, while a roomy kangaroo pouch is the ideal place to store your phone and even an in-flight snack.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muss
Noun
As promised, the restaurant is a no-fuss, no-muss operation.
—Verb
As always, Lorenzo is more than happy to muss up the expected, to push the boundaries while still respecting the core traditions of the art form.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for muss
Noun
-
Rather than letting those items pile up in a cluttered mess, opt for a compact organizer with enough storage to hold all the essentials.—
-
And what a distraction from the mess he’s created!—
Verb
-
Bullet train services were temporarily disrupted, and cameras mounted on buildings showed visible shaking.—
-
However, drinking caffeinated tea too late in the day can disrupt sleep.—
Noun
-
They were doomed to perish in the fires of hell.—
-
Shown with a gun in hand and looking disheveled, Creasy seems like he’s been through hell and back.—
Verb
-
Rose tells Shaw that her community is concerned about sacred remains being disturbed.—
-
The 34-year-old appeared to have deactivated her X account after disturbing posts on her account resurfaced online.—
Noun
-
Christian Barmore created a little more havoc against the run and pass than usual, but his only pressure was contained to the second quarter.—
-
Dewan shared Fillion's sense of the havoc Monica is likely to cause in season 8.—
Verb
-
Even with my winter boots and sturdy soles, caution dictates a short stride, a shuffling gait end eyes riveted to the slippery ground.—
-
First, the sophomore shuffled back into coverage after showing A-gap pressure to intercept a Bryce Underwood pass over the middle of the field, ending a key fourth-quarter drive.—
Noun
-
The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
-
Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Verb
-
The 40-year-old cooks up ways to make quarterbacks miserable in his sleep, devising schemes that are meant to lure as much as they are intended to confuse.—
-
Canales-Pelaez said that local departments may be confusing administrative warrants with criminal ones, or overcomplying to avoid backlash from the state Legislature.—
Cite this Entry
“Muss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muss. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share