blunder 1 of 2

blunder

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun blunder differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of blunder are error, lapse, mistake, and slip. While all these words mean "a departure from what is true, right, or proper," blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame.

diplomatic blunders

When might error be a better fit than blunder?

The synonyms error and blunder are sometimes interchangeable, but error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this.

procedural errors

Where would lapse be a reasonable alternative to blunder?

The meanings of lapse and blunder largely overlap; however, lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause.

a lapse in judgment

When is mistake a more appropriate choice than blunder?

The words mistake and blunder are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error.

dialed the wrong number by mistake

When can slip be used instead of blunder?

While in some cases nearly identical to blunder, slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes.

a slip of the tongue

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blunder
Noun
Every blunder seems to have lingered in their minds: In one scene, Lieutenant Macdonald (Michael Gandolfini) accidentally injects morphine into his own hand while trying to ease Elliott’s pain. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 7 May 2025 The war would remain a strategic blunder for Russia. Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 1 May 2025
Verb
Lawmakers blunder in another way regarding VAT rate preferences. Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 The next year, the magazine sent Mr. Plimpton, who was known for writing about his blundering experiences trying to play professional football and golf, to count birds with Mr. Emanuel. Michael S. Rosenwald, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for blunder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunder
Noun
  • Treating it like a cause-and-effect explanation mistakes the scoreboard for the game.
    Alexander William Salter, National Review, 9 May 2025
  • Now in the context of the very obvious dropping of moral guardrails around international relations, other countries will be less bound by a sense of world order, emboldened by an arms race, and will start to take risks and make mistakes.
    Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • The stress of getting to your airport gate on time, coupled with the excitement of getting to your destination, can cause even the most seasoned of travelers to fumble at security checkpoints.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025
  • For example, if an officer sees someone swerving, fumbling with items, or clearly not paying attention to the road, the interior light might factor into a citation for reckless or inattentive driving.
    Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the only truly happy artist in Ira’s friend group — played to uproarious perfection by Stanley Tucci — isn’t even much of an artist at all but a shameless name-dropper who seems to stumble into constant success without even trying.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 May 2025
  • Still, many times, most seasoned and skilled leaders stumble from time to time.
    Phil Portman, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Garcia, who denies gang membership, had an immigration court order protecting him from deportation, which the administration acknowledged was an administrative error.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Look for errors online or by going to the assessor’s office.
    LEW SICHELMAN, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Pulliam saw the coyote emerge from the nearby woods and tried to distract it by throwing rocks, but tripped in the process.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 20 May 2025
  • The novelty of seeing string puppet rockers spin and levitate, often tripping and tumbling in stride to the delight of the audience, never gets old.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Too often over the last few years, the Red Sox have struggled to dispatch bad teams.
    Gabrielle Starr, Hartford Courant, 11 May 2025
  • By the time Bush left office, major banks and investment banks were struggling to stay alive, and that was just the ones that didn’t die in 2008.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blunder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunder. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on blunder

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!