bungle 1 of 2

verb

ˈbəŋ-gəl How to pronounce bungle (audio)
Definition of bunglenext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bungle

2 of 2

noun

as in botch

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bungle
Verb
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who polled at 5% in the CBS survey, accused Becerra of bungling the federal government’s response to COVID-19, mpox and the influx in child migrants under former President Joe Biden. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026 Authorities bungle the case but still arrest a maintenance worker for the killings. — Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 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 See All Example Sentences for bungle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bungle
  1. fumble
  2. botch
  3. blow
  4. bobble
  5. ruin
  6. dub
Verb
  • In Madison’s Capitol Times, Paul Fanlud detected some worry from Wikler that Democrats might fumble their project of governing Wisconsin long enough to reform it.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 22 July 2026
  • On Sunday, the Guardians essentially created a compilation video for Little League coaches to show their kids, a crash course in fumbling the fundamentals.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of fumble
Noun
  • Of course this was a calculated power play, not a bureaucratic botch.
    — U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
  • During last week's WWE SmackDown, a series of mistakes and botches drew harsh criticism from fans.
    — Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of botch
Verb
  • Mayo, who raced around the court blowing kisses to the WSU fans after Mason’s game-ending 3, finished with 25 points off 3-of-9 3-point shooting.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
  • The Green Bay Packers endured a highly disappointing 2025 season, finishing 9-8-1 and blowing multiple double-digit leads, including a 21-3 Wild Card advantage against Chicago.
    — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • Mara’s hands can be an issue with bobbles and turnovers, and his lateral foot speed is concerning.
    — Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Ordinary humans like Stephen’s selfish boss are depicted as giant walking eggs, while others are proportioned like bobble heads.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 11 Apr. 2026
Definition of bobble
Verb
  • Being asked to prove yourself to AI can play havoc on your confidence and ruin your chances of getting your foot in the door.
    — Colleen Batchelder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Not that Miss Manners is excusing those who burst into dinner parties after the roast has been ruined — along with the other guests’ attitudes, most likely — and then blame it on traffic.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • The latter two heat waves have been caused by a thick ridge of high pressure — dubbed a heat dome by the weather service — that has wielded influence for weeks.
    — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
  • Season four will follow that trend and has been dubbed Queen of the Damned.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
Definition of dub

Browse Nearby Words

bunging up
bungle
bungled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungle. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bungle for Spanish Speakers

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