# mess

> English word · Noun · IPA /mɛs/ · frequency rank #2,631

## Definitions
1. a thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation
2. a large quantity or number
3. excrement.
4. a person in a state of (especially emotional) turmoil or disarray; an emotional wreck

## Etymology
Perhaps a corruption of Middle English mesh (“mash”), compare muss, or derived from Etymology 2 "mixed foods, as for animals". Compare also Old English mes (“dung, excrement”).

## Easily confused with
- **MS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-ms)
- **met** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-met)
- **Mrs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mrs)
- **MPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mps)
- **MoS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mos)
- **MSM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-msm)
- **MSG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-msg)
- **MSP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-msp)
- **mew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mew)
- **mex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mex)
- **MSN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-msn)
- **MMS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mms)
- **MSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-msa)
- **MSI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-msi)
- **MSF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-msf)
- **MST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mst)
- **Mss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mss)
- **meu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-meu)
- **MGS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-mgs)
- **most** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mess-vs-most)

## Common misspellings (3)
`emss`, `mmess`, `mses`

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