screwup

1 of 2

noun

screw·​up ˈskrü-ˌəp 

1

: one who screws up

2

: botch, blunder

screw up

2 of 2

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

Noun

• blunder
• bobble
• boo-boo
• boob [British]
• brick
• clanger [British]
• clinker
• error
• fault
• flub
• fluff
• fumble
• gaff
• gaffe
• goof
• inaccuracy
• lapse
• miscue
• misstep
• mistake
• oversight
• slip
• slipup
• stumble
• trip

Verb

• blunder
• boob [British]
• err
• flub
• fluff
• foul up
• fumble
• goof (up)
• louse up
• mess (up)
• slip up
• stumble
• trip

Examples of screwup in a Sentence

Noun

That was a major screwup.

She's a screwup who can't hold down a job.

Verb

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

Noun

His constant screwups are an expression of his karma — his need to sabotage himself and everyone around him. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025

Fei-hung is a fan of drunken boxing, and his father disapproves of this and other screwups, kicking his son out of the house. —ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025

Verb

This was a problem that Microsoft made exponentially worse by screwing up the Recall rollout so badly in the first place. —ArsTechnica, 21 Apr. 2025

The administration won't admit it, but this was a screw up. —Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1625, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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