blunder

verb

blun·der | \ ˈblən-dər

blundered; blundering\ ˈblən-d(ə-)riŋ

Definition of blunder

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to move unsteadily or confusedly In their exhaustion they often blundered against each other …— Norman Mailer

2 : to make a mistake through stupidity, ignorance, or carelessness blundered by not acting sooner

transitive verb

1 : to utter stupidly, confusedly, or thoughtlessly blundered an apology

2 : to make a stupid, careless, or thoughtless mistake in … blundering matters through ignorance …— Rafael Sabatini

blunder

noun

Definition of blunder (Entry 2 of 2)

: a gross error or mistake resulting usually from stupidity, ignorance, or carelessness a costly tactical blunder

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Choose the Right Synonym for blunder

Noun

error, mistake, blunder, slip, lapse mean a departure from what is true, right, or proper. error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this. procedural errors mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error. dialed the wrong number by mistake blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame. diplomatic blunders slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes. a slip of the tongue lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause. a lapse in judgment

Examples of blunder in a Sentence

Verb

We blundered along through the woods until we finally found the trail. Another skier blundered into his path. The government blundered by not acting sooner.

Noun

The accident was the result of a series of blunders. fixed a minor blunder in the advertising flyer

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

But that feature could save you from blundering into a speed trap. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "Why the New Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 Is the Most Futuristic (Gas-Powered) Car on the Road," 21 Dec. 2018 Many thought the program had been unfairly seized upon as a distraction by conservative opponents of gun control, who preferred to focus on blundering by the district and the sheriff’s office. — David Fleshler, Washington Post, "Parents in Parkland, Fla., want more transparency from school officials," 13 May 2018 Mr Grayling’s loyalty to the prime minister and to the Brexit cause mean he may be allowed to blunder on. — The Economist, "British railways are reduced to chaos by a botched timetable change," 7 June 2018 The unboxing is meant to increase suspense, but the nonstop blundering only provides unease. — Kelly Conaboy, The Cut, "Please Face It: Instagram Story ‘Unboxing’ Does Not Work," 13 July 2018 This bumbling, bungling, blundering media misadventure quite possibly changed the course of Magic history. — Mike Bianchi, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Worst day of Dwight Howard's life was also one of worst days in Orlando Magic history," 18 June 2018 In one of the most dangerous moments in the Cold War, in 1983, US-Moscow tensions nearly led to the two rivals blundering into nuclear war. — Stephen Collinson, CNN, "Trump's toughness on Russia judged against his predecessors," 9 June 2018 After a mix-up by their blundering fertility doctor, a couple is mistakenly impregnated with the wrong child. — Matthew J. Palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "New Pegasus PlayLab theater festival brings new works to UCF," 7 June 2018 Here’s the hardest thing to understand about the Rally Goose, the confused Canada goose that blundered into Comerica Park (and our hearts) during a rain delay in Wednesday’s Tigers-Angels game. — Si.com Staff, SI.com, "Nine Innings: The Indians' Surprisingly Bad Bullpen, the State of the NL West and Culberson's Magic," 4 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Argyle scored one run in each of the first three innings, including two on fielding blunders by outfielders. — Alex Miller, ExpressNews.com, "La Vernia run-ruled by Argyle in 4A state semifinal," 5 June 2019 Kimmel also mentioned last year’s blunder by telling winners to wait a few extra moments in case any envelope mishaps took place. — Jake Kring-schreifels, Esquire, "The Best, Worst, and Weirdest Moments of the 2018 Oscars," 5 Mar. 2018 Two Ronaldo Goals Give Portugal the Lead Cristiano Ronaldo scores early — a fourth-minute penalty — and late — on a 44th-minute blunder by Spain’s goalkeeper — and Portugal leads the Iberian Derby in Sochi, 2-1 at the break. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "Spain and Portugal Play a Draw for the Ages, Starring a Player for All Time," 3 Mar. 2018 The Falcons, who blew a 28-3 lead in last season's Super Bowl, had their first score set up by a special teams blunder by the Rams that allowed Atlanta to almost completely flip the field. — USA TODAY, "Rams schooled by Falcons in return to playoffs," 6 Jan. 2018 Jaime’s Hand Makes a Cameo Last week, there was a major blunder in the episode when, somehow, the show’s editors forgot to edit out a coffee cup on a table. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Everything Fans Flipped Out About on Last Night’s Game of Thrones," 13 May 2019 Some analysts said the opposition’s calls for force was a blunder that could hurt its international coalition and undermine bipartisan support in the U.S. — Ryan Dube, WSJ, "U.S. Imposes New Sanctions on Venezuelan Regime," 25 Feb. 2019 That may prove to be a serious strategic blunder by Putin—and this new threat is another. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "As a Key Arms-Control Treaty Is Set to Die, Russia Threatens to Target U.S. with New Nukes," 20 Feb. 2019 Advertising His resignation, which came days after his federal charges, blew open a window into City Hall’s flawed vetting and administrative blunders. — David Mcfadden, The Seattle Times, "Ex-police boss gets 10-month prison sentence for tax fraud," 29 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blunder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.