bungled; bungling
ˈbəŋ-g(ə-)liŋ 
: to act or work clumsily and awkwardly
bungled badly in the campaign
bungle
noun
Synonyms
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
Directors are supposed to work behind the scenes, providing a company with guidance, occasionally managing orderly succession plans, not out there massively bungling a CEO’s firing, putting business and investments at risk, and attracting attention.
—
Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2023
Legal professionals are racing to create guidelines for the technology’s use, to prevent inaccuracies from bungling major cases.
—Will Oremus, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Migrants remember soccer games, organized by Kidane, in which players who bungled a chance to score were shot.
—Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
Two of Fortune’s favorite alumni, Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera, have a new book out this week called The Big Fail, that examines how the U.S. badly bungled the COVID pandemic.
—Alan Murray, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2023
Under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland and prosecutor David Weiss, the Department of Justice has bungled the investigation of Biden’s son in a way that has served to shield the big guy.
—The Editors, National Review, 13 Sep. 2023
The use of jailhouse snitches in Orange County bungled at least 57 criminal cases, a public defender says.
—Helen Li, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
But the additional interviews will likely be seized on by congressional critics, mostly Republican, as proof that the administration bungled the probe into the attack, in addition to mishandling the withdrawal.
—Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2023
The additional interviews will likely be seized on by congressional critics, mostly Republican, as proof that the administration bungled the probe into the attack, in addition to mishandling the withdrawal.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023
See More
Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2023
Legal professionals are racing to create guidelines for the technology’s use, to prevent inaccuracies from bungling major cases.
—Will Oremus, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Migrants remember soccer games, organized by Kidane, in which players who bungled a chance to score were shot.
—Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
Two of Fortune’s favorite alumni, Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera, have a new book out this week called The Big Fail, that examines how the U.S. badly bungled the COVID pandemic.
—Alan Murray, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2023
Under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland and prosecutor David Weiss, the Department of Justice has bungled the investigation of Biden’s son in a way that has served to shield the big guy.
—The Editors, National Review, 13 Sep. 2023
The use of jailhouse snitches in Orange County bungled at least 57 criminal cases, a public defender says.
—Helen Li, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
But the additional interviews will likely be seized on by congressional critics, mostly Republican, as proof that the administration bungled the probe into the attack, in addition to mishandling the withdrawal.
—Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2023
The additional interviews will likely be seized on by congressional critics, mostly Republican, as proof that the administration bungled the probe into the attack, in addition to mishandling the withdrawal.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bungle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic banga to hammer
First Known Use
1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Dictionary Entries Near bungle
Cite this Entry
“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bungle. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
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