mess over
B2 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To hurt someone badly by being unfair or dishonest to them.
Literal meaning: To make a mess all over someone — idiomatically meaning to ruin their situation through deliberate bad treatment.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
informal
To treat someone very unfairly or to exploit them for one's own gain.
"His own business partner messed him over by taking the clients and starting a rival firm."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
informal
To cause serious emotional or psychological harm to someone.
"Growing up in that environment really messed her over — she struggled for years afterwards."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Chiefly American English. Stronger in tone than 'mess around'; implies real harm done to a person. Common in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and urban American informal speech.
Commonly used with
friend deal partner community people money
Forms
Base
mess over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
messes over
he/she/it
Past simple
messed over
yesterday
Past participle
messed over
have + pp
-ing form
messing over
continuous
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Synonyms
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