bungle

verb

bun·​gle ˈbəŋ-gəl How to pronounce bungle (audio)
bungled; bungling ˈbəŋ-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce bungle (audio)

intransitive verb

: to act or work clumsily and awkwardly
bungled badly in the campaign

transitive verb

: mishandle, botch
bungle a job
bungled the investigation
bungle noun
bungler noun

Examples of bungle in a Sentence

The government bungled badly in planning the campaign. bungled the job the first time she tried to do it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What to know about the German Shepherd tied to the Karen Read trial Karen Read claims police bungled the investigation. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 19 June 2025 Burnett did not relent, and Miramax arguably buried the film, bungling its marketing. Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 June 2025 In a Wednesday social media post published shortly after the release of May inflation data, Vance accused the Fed of bungling its job to balance price growth and unemployment through interest rates. Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 11 June 2025 Anderson’s twist on the bungling crime picture is hilariously low stakes and inconsequential, but Bottle Rocket has real insight into the feeling of young people cast adrift. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bungle

Word History

Etymology

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic banga to hammer

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of bungle was in 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bungle. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

bungle

verb
bun·​gle ˈbəŋ-gəl How to pronounce bungle (audio)
bungled; bungling -g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce bungle (audio)
: to act, do, make, or work badly
bungle a job
bungle noun
bungler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bungle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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