# mess vs messy

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### mess
*noun · IPA /mɛs/ · frequency rank #2,631*
a thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation

### messy
*adjective · IPA /ˈmɛsi/ · frequency rank #8,691*
In a disorderly state; chaotic; disorderly.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-messy