Meaning trap
mess up
make a mistake
To do something incorrectly or make a mistake that causes a problem.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To do something incorrectly or make a mistake that causes a problem.
Another meaning of 'mess up' is 'make untidy'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- 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
Fix the pattern
Pattern: mess (something) up / mess up (something)
WrongI really messed it.
RightI really messed it up.
'Mess up' is separable but you can't drop 'up' — bare 'mess it' isn't English here.
Patternmess (something) up / mess up (something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Mess up' is the casual way to admit a mistake; 'committed an error' is formal/stiff.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
mess up + taskthe ordermy linesthe whole thingbig 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.