1
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
clearly, there's been some sort of screwup about what time we were supposed to meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
you've totally screwed up the spreadsheet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of screwup
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
Vince is the screwup, a mostly-former drug and gambling addict, while Jake is a successful restaurateur, running the eponymous club/restaurant Black Rabbit in Manhattan.
—
Andrew Bernard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
One of the puzzles was constructing a dance that was simple enough to believe anyone could do it, yet tricky enough for DJ to screw up in multiple ways.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
But the screwups don’t end there.
—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
Vince is the screwup, a mostly-former drug and gambling addict, while Jake is a successful restaurateur, running the eponymous club/restaurant Black Rabbit in Manhattan.
—
Andrew Bernard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
First of all, don’t hide misdeeds and screwups, which comes naturally by not committing misdeeds and not screwing up.
—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
One of the puzzles was constructing a dance that was simple enough to believe anyone could do it, yet tricky enough for DJ to screw up in multiple ways.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
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That ended his day after five innings of one-run ball, with just one mistake — a slider that Manny Machado clobbered for a solo homer — against him.
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Will this turn into a tragic mistake Daemon soon regrets?
Noun
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The Muses were meant for the butcher two autumns ago, but no one had the heart to lure them onto the trailer.
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Independent butchers are rare these days, as chain grocery stores with in-house butchers have become more prevalent.
Verb
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But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.
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With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
Verb
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Finally, during penalties, Paraguay was up 3-2 and needed to make only one more kick before missing its last two, nearly blowing the match.
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The sobering reality, however, is that this is a 35-48 team that already has been blown too far off course.
Noun
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Colorado's rally offset a pair of baserunning blunders that ended the eighth.
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One Republican senator calling this the worst foreign policy blunder in decades.
Noun
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The Dodgers reached the pinnacle honestly, in a capitalistic structure that properly hands no favors to the incompetent.
Verb
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Scientists have stumbled on a rare dinosaur fossil from Antarctica, tucked away for decades in a drawer.
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However, Portugal stumbled in its opening match, managing only a 1–1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
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After all, plenty of cocktail enthusiasts already complain about mosquitoes ruining a summer evening.
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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