screw up

verb

screwed up; screwing up; screws up

transitive verb

1

: to tighten, fasten, or lock by or as if by a screw

2

a

: bungle, botch

b

: to cause to act or function in an erratic or confused way : confound, disturb

intransitive verb

: to botch an activity or undertaking

Synonyms of screw up

• fumble
• stumble
• trip
• slip up
• lay an egg
• drop the ball
• foul up
• goof (up)
• louse up

Examples of screw up in a Sentence

we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it

you've totally screwed up the spreadsheet

Recent Examples on the Web

But four years ago, Sorsby screwed up in a massive way. —Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026

The two screwed up a top-rope stunner as Excalibur struggled to explain what happened like a 2026 Jim Ross. —Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026

Myers nails the realistic teen who is a far cry from the unflappable Nancy Drew, screwing up plenty and often terrified of what she's gotten herself into. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026

But great expectations can screw up merely very good players. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for screw up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

screwup

1 of 2 noun

screw·​up ˈskrü-ˌəp 

1

: one who screws up

2

: botch entry 2, blunder

screw up

2 of 2 verb

1

: to tighten, fasten, or lock by or as if by a screw

2

a

: botch entry 1

b

: to cause to act in an odd or confused way