louse up

verb

Definition of louse upnext
1
as in to stumble
to make a mistake everything is riding on this project, so we can't afford to louse up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way I loused up the wallpapering job in the bedroom—the seams show too much

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 louse up Maybe one party simply wants out for no apparent reason Anything can louse up the deal. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026 Which is to say that America’s most prominent vaccine skeptic could have the power to upend, derail, or otherwise louse up a cornerstone of public health. — Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024 Conversely, one of the easiest ways to louse up a team on draft day is to load up a team with players who aren’t going to produce at a level commensurate with when they were drafted. — Gary Davenport, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for louse up
  1. stumble
  2. fumble
  3. trip
  4. blow
  5. slip up
  6. screw up
  7. foul up
  8. ruin
Verb
  • Lyon had Kyle Verreynne caught at slip for 13 as South Africa stumbled to 197-7.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Both will star as the central con-artist ghost hunters who stumble upon a real ghost during one of their scams.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • But when Kansas fumbled the snap on a punt, resulting in a safety, Kansas State was able to take an 18-17 lead to the locker room.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Stockton, who also threw two interceptions, fumbled on a run from the Auburn 46.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • In overtime, the Golden Knights quickly took advantage of a tripping penalty on Kings center Scott Laughton.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Behar, who dislocated the shoulder after catching her heel and tripping last week at The View‘s ABC studio building in New York, is expected to return to the show next week.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of trip
Verb
  • On Saturday morning, temperatures in the fire area were in the mid-80s and winds blew at about 15 mph.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • There have been two times, and maybe three, since 2020 when Baylor should have won the game, but blew it.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • The Iberians slipped up big time in their first match of the tournament, being shocked by Switzerland 1-0, bringing back ghosts of tournament failures past for Spanish fans.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • But for taxpayers with a solid compliance history who slip up once, automatically applying relief—instead of reserving it for those who know to ask—is a welcome change.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of slip up
Verb
  • Dallas is going to be better, but the Cowboys always screw up.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • That doesn’t mean the Yankees screwed up in their process by trading for Stanton.
    — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of screw up
Verb
  • Then police closed that, too — at midafternoon Tuesday after a report of a suspicious package — fouling up traffic for New Yorkers even more.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In the end, though, neither an explosion nor a giant spill of fluid that could foul up waterways and the ocean occurred.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Definition of foul up
Verb
  • Artificial, though, ends with a scene that convincingly conveys the extent to which AI will ruin all our lives.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Civic, before it was smashed and ruined, had been a private world, an extension of myself.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruin

Browse Nearby Words

louses up
louse up
lousily
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Cite this Entry

“Louse up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/louse%20up. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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