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 of screwup

Noun

• mistake
• blunder
• error

Verb

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

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

But the screwups don’t end there. —Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025

Vince is the screwup, a mostly-former drug and gambling addict, while Jake is a successful restaurateur, running the eponymous club/restaurant Black Rabbit in Manhattan. —Andrew Bernard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025

Verb

Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ There really aren’t many ways to screw up a straightforward ballad that needs only a rolling snare drum as required instrumentation, but leave it to the Simpson sisters circa 2004 to burn it all down. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025

There’s nothing more fun than watching Erin screw up. —Vulture Editors, Vulture, 14 Nov. 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