Base verb
Phrasal verbs with mess
The verb mess combines with 4 particles to form everyday phrasal verbs. Each particle steers the meaning in its own direction — here they are with clear definitions and examples, so you can see the whole family at once.
4 phrasal verbs · 5 meanings
mess about
1 sense- Spend time idly or playfully without serious purpose
mess around
2 senses- Spend time in a careless or playful way
- Treat someone unfairly or unreliably
mess up
1 sense- Spoil or do something badly
mess with
1 sense- Touch or change something carelessly when you should not
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice the mess family in Sink In
Drill every sense of mess with spaced repetition — recognition, particle cloze, and meaning recall — so the whole family sticks instead of blurring together.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
1,300+ phrasal verbs26 particle patternsBuilt for B1–C2
