bungle

verb

bun·​gle ˈbəŋ-gəl How to pronounce bungle (audio)
bungled; bungling ˈbəŋ-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce bungle (audio)

intransitive verb

: to act or work clumsily and awkwardly
bungled badly in the campaign

transitive verb

: mishandle, botch
bungle a job
bungled the investigation
bungle noun
bungler noun

Examples of bungle in a Sentence

The government bungled badly in planning the campaign. bungled the job the first time she tried to do it
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Boeing bungled its recent mission to ferry astronauts to the ISS so badly that SpaceX has at least a temporary monopoly over astronaut launches from American soil. Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024 Rachel reconnects with Sam, her fellow bottom-feeder, and completely bungles the conversation. Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024 The company drifted into crisis after bungling a transition to electric vehicles. Bloomberg, Orange County Register, 28 Oct. 2024 Attending a town hall sponsored by Univision in Las Vegas, Harris was asked about complaints that federal officials have bungled disaster recovery efforts. Will Weissert, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bungle 

Word History

Etymology

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic banga to hammer

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of bungle was in 1530

Dictionary Entries Near bungle

Cite this Entry

“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bungle. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bungle

verb
bun·​gle ˈbəŋ-gəl How to pronounce bungle (audio)
bungled; bungling -g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce bungle (audio)
: to act, do, make, or work badly
bungle a job
bungle noun
bungler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bungle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!