Fucked-Up
/ˌfʌkt ˈʌp/noun
Informal and vulgar: seriously disordered, damaged, confused, or emotionally troubled.
Did you know?The verb “fuck” has been recorded in English since the late medieval period, but its ultimate origin remains uncertain; “up” later became a powerful intensifier in phrases such as “mess up” and “screw up.”
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English, 15th Century
English
fuck
“A vulgar verb referring to sexual intercourse; its deeper Germanic origin is uncertain.”
Old English, before 1100
Old English
up
“Upward, aloft, or toward a higher position.”
Middle English, 14th–15th Century
English
up
“The directional adverb and preposition continued, also beginning to appear as an intensifying element in phrasal verbs.”
20th Century
English
fuck up
“A vulgar phrasal verb meaning to spoil, ruin, confuse, or mishandle something.”
Mid-to-late 20th Century
English
fucked-up
“A participial adjective describing something badly damaged, chaotic, abnormal, or psychologically troubled.”
Modern English
English
fucked-up
“A highly informal, offensive adjective used for severe disorder, dysfunction, or emotional disturbance.”