mess up

Verb

mess up (third-person singular simple present messes up, present participle messing up, simple past and past participle messed up)

1. (transitive) To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss.
   • The afternoon breeze messed up my hair.
   • […] kwatumas, those aggressive and sharp-toothed eels that so thoroughly mess up one's tackle when hooked […]1962, S. Schoeman, Strike!: A Handbook of Angling in South African Coastal Waters, page 58

   Synonyms:

   fuck up

2. (transitive) To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
   • The change messed something up, and it's not working anymore.

   Synonyms:

   fuck up, jack up, louse up, screw up

3. (transitive) To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on.
   • Well, I messed up my solo, but otherwise it was a good concert.
4. (intransitive) To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly.
   • He has a hard time getting started because he's afraid he'll mess up.
   • She messed up on her final exam.

   Synonyms:

   fuck up

5. (transitive) To cause (another person) to make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior.
   • Stop bumping me! You keep messing me up!

   Synonyms:

   screw up

6. (transitive) To damage; injure.
   • He messed up his elbow at the track meet.

   Synonyms:

   fuck up, jack up, screw up

7. (slang, transitive) To manhandle; beat up; rough up.
   • Her brother's friends messed him up a little after he cheated on her.

   Synonyms:

   gum, foul up, fuck up, screw up

8. (slang, transitive) To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray.
   • That girl totally messed me up, man. I'm not sure who I am anymore.

   Synonyms:

   fuck up