Messy
Messy adjective - Lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness.
Usage example: having a messy room is virtually de rigueur for a college student
Untidy is a synonym for messy in order topic. In some cases you can use "Untidy" instead an adjective "Messy", when it comes to topics like careless, sordid, careful, slovenly. popular alternative
Untidy
Untidy adjective - Lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness.
Usage example: I can never find anything in this untidy office
Messy is a synonym for untidy in order topic. You can use "Messy" instead an adjective "Untidy", if it concerns topics such as dirty, disordered, careless, sordid. popular alternative
Nearby Words: untidiness, untidily
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
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Messy Hair: Bond was a prisoner in North Korea for 14 months, so naturally his hair becomes untidy and long without any grooming.
Source: Film / Die Another Day -
RWBY: Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck has an untidy look (mismatched shoes, untucked shirt, unfastened tie, Messy Hair) and only stops rushing around to take a swig of coffee.
Source: Seriously Scruffy -
Messy Hair: In all his author photos, he sports an untidy dark mop.
Source: Creator / Neil Gaiman
Cite this Source
Untidy and Messy. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/messy/untidy
Messy & Untidy. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/messy/untidy>.
Untidy or Messy. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/messy/untidy.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "messy" and "untidy" have occurred on timeline