mess up — make a mistake
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+informalcommon
To do something incorrectly or make a mistake that causes a problem.
Say it like a native
Textbook I committed a significant error during the presentation.
Native I totally messed up the presentation.
'Mess up' is the casual way to admit a mistake; 'committed an error' is formal/stiff.
Pattern: mess (something) up / mess up (something)
In use
- I really messed up my presentation by forgetting my notes.daily life
- Honestly, I messed up my first driving test because I was too nervous.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I really messed it.
✓ I really messed it up.
'Mess up' is separable but you can't drop 'up' — bare 'mess it' isn't English here.
Common collocations
mess up + task— the order, my lines, the whole thing, big time
Don't confuse it
'Mess up' is about making mistakes, while 'fix' or 'sort out' are about solving problems.
Related
- mess up (make untidy) — Another meaning of 'mess up' is 'make untidy'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.