Synonyms of bungle

bungle 1 of 2

verb

ˈbəŋ-gəl 

as in to fumble

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

bungled the job the first time she tried to do it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumble
• blow
• botch
• ruin
• dub
• murder
• mangle
• butcher
• spoil
• boot
• boggle
• flub
• destroy
• bumble
• muff
• screw up
• mar
• goof (up)
• blunder
• fluff
• foul up
• muck up
• bobble
• damage
• injure
• muddle
• foozle
• bugger (up)
• wreck
• flaw
• mess (up)
• louse up
• bollix (up)
• impair
• hurt
• gum (up)
• mutilate
• harm
• blight
• mismanage
• vitiate
• blemish
• piffle
• mishandle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• better
• improve
• help
• rectify
• remedy
• enhance
• reform
• ameliorate
• refine
• patch
• fix
• repair
• meliorate
• revamp
• renovate
• recondition
• doctor

bungle

2 of 2

noun

as in botch

Related Words

• botch
• fumble
• bobble
• blunder
• mistake
• foul-up
• mix-up
• misstep
• miscue
• inaccuracy
• flub
• error
• goof
• stumble
• lapse
• chaos
• oversight
• slip
• disarray
• disorganization
• shambles
• slipup
• disorder
• jumble
• hash
• mess
• disarrangement
• fault
• confusion
• muddle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bungle

Verb

Sandusky has tried almost nonstop since his sentencing to have his June 22, 2012, conviction overturned, arguing first that his lawyers bungled the case. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026

On Monday, a judge on Staten Island temporarily blocked the city from implementing the tax due to a lawsuit brought by a group of homeowners who allege the city bungled the rollout of the tax. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Noun

With suspiciously fortuitous timing, Andy is snapped up as Runway’s new features editor—a move that Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), the Si Newhouse-esque head of Elias-Clarke, hopes will salvage what remains of the publication’s credibility in the wake of Miranda’s bungle. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026

In addition to Robinhood’s Platinum card, there is Citi’s $695-per-year Strata Elite, whose debut last year was marred by an application-process bungle that saw the bank freeze thousands of accounts—but which has proved popular nonetheless. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026