bungle

verb

bun·​gle ˈbəŋ-gəl 

bungled; bungling ˈbəŋ-g(ə-)liŋ 

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

ˈbəŋ-g(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms

• blow
• bobble
• boggle
• bollix (up)
• boot
• botch
• bugger (up)
• bumble
• butcher
• dub
• flub
• fluff
• foozle
• foul up
• fumble
• goof (up)
• louse up
• mangle
• mess (up)
• muck up
• muff
• murder
• screw up

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

His military bungled its balloon intelligence-collection program, precipitating an unwanted crisis after a stray balloon floated over the continental United States for days in early 2023. —Evan S. Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

For decades, people have accused Argentina of bungling the investigation. —Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic banga to hammer

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

bungle

verb

bun·​gle ˈbəŋ-gəl 

bungled; bungling -g(ə-)liŋ 

: to act, do, make, or work badly

bungle a job

bungle noun

bungler

-g(ə-)ler 

noun