as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
I refuse to let that bungling incompetent insult me again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fumbling
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
bungled the job the first time she tried to do it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bungling
Adjective
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The clumsy use of voice-overs is more embarrassing still.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025 -
In the latest, a clumsy but charming young woman in Paris, struggling to become a writer and longing for Jane Austen-style romance, finally has her moment at a Jane Austen Writers’ Residency in England.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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From awkward silences to unresolved tensions, most of us would rather scroll, text, or disappear than risk a moment of raw, honest connection.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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The feelings of being sweaty, red-faced and kind of awkward is very familiar to me.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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When a crack appears, in the form of a recession, a botched show of force, or an élite split, the ruling order must reform, bargain, or collapse.—
Evan Osnos,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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That was a reference to the botched Tonight Show transition at NBC where O’Brien, then the popular host of NBC’s Late Night, was promised The Tonight Show to stay at NBC.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But, in Armstrong’s universe, tech is never morally in the black, and the people who create it are no better than despots—inept ones, at that.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
4 June 2025
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Additionally, the lack of housing is a product of inept regulations, such as overly restrictive zoning laws and costly building codes.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Oc Register,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Trump is somewhat incompetent at being an autocrat right now.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
6 June 2025
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Two common themes emerged: many aren’t sure of who the DA is or what the office does and, those who do know, view the DA as ineffective, unprofessional and, in many cases, incompetent.—
Craig MacLellan,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bungling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungling. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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