Definition

The quality or state of being untidy or disorganized.

Example

The messiness of his room made it hard to find anything.

Conversation

I've been thinking about my room's messiness lately.

Yeah, I noticed it could use a good clean-up.

It's just hard to keep it tidy with all my stuff everywhere.

I get that; sometimes, a little messiness can feel overwhelming.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Messiness → It is formed from "mess" (from Old French *mes*, meaning a portion or a mixture) and "-iness" (meaning the state or quality of). The word "messiness" refers to the state of being messy or disordered.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'mixture' ('mess') that is in a 'state' ('-iness') of disorder — that's what messiness means.

Visually Confused Words