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mess up

[/mes ʌp/]
phrasal verb
estragar, bagunçar, arruinar
1. to make something dirty or disorganized
Don't mess up the living room while playing.
Não estrague a sala de estar enquanto brinca.
2. to make a mistake or do something wrong
I messed up on the exam and failed it.
Errei na prova e reproveii.
3. to damage or ruin something or a situation
He messed up the project by not following instructions.
Ele arruinou o projeto por não seguir as instruções.
4. to harm someone emotionally or psychologically
The accident really messed him up.
O acidente o afetou muito emocionalmente.
NYC Slang
screw up, botch, fubar
Synonyms
bunglebotchscrew upspoilruinwreck
Antonyms
fixrepairorganizesucceedaccomplish

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
estragar, bagunçar, arruinar
most commonly used form in Brazil
São Paulo
estragar, zoar
zoar is more colloquial/slang
Rio de Janeiro
estragar, bagunçar, zoar
zoar more prevalent in younger speakers
Portugal
estragar, desorganizar, arruinar
similar to Brazilian but with slightly different emphasis

Related Idioms & Phrases

mess up one's life
mess up a relationship
mess up the works
make a mess of something
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