1
as in fumbled
to make a mistake
even though the prosecution had blundered several times in presenting its case, it ultimately prevailed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in stumbled
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
blundered his way through an acceptance speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of blundered
People see this president as having blundered into a war with no clear rationale.
—
NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Back in the team after injury, Neuer made strong saves in the first half but blundered for Freiburg's second, leaping out of his goal to palm a corner straight to Freiburg striker Lucas Höler for an easy second.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
The growing political noise raises questions about whether Netflix, which has had one of the cleanest business strategies and investment stories in media, blundered into its first big M&A swing.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 24 Feb. 2026
NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Back in the team after injury, Neuer made strong saves in the first half but blundered for Freiburg's second, leaping out of his goal to palm a corner straight to Freiburg striker Lucas Höler for an easy second.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
The growing political noise raises questions about whether Netflix, which has had one of the cleanest business strategies and investment stories in media, blundered into its first big M&A swing.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blundered
Verb
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In the 88th minute, Neuer fumbled a routine shot and allowed Joselu to equalise.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Fans were exiting en masse in the top of the ninth when Frelick’s RBI single off Rule 5 rookie Ryan Watson, fumbled by reigning AL Gold Glove centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, increased Milwaukee’s lead to three.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as Adebayo stumbled to regain his balance, Ball reached out and pulled on Adebayo’s leg.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
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Adebayo stumbled but did not fall.—
Steve Reed,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Adebayo took his hard fall when tripped by the hand of Ball while saving the ball from going out of bounds beneath the Heat basket with the Heat down 28-26.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
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Ball tripped Adebayo, with Ball swiping and making contact with Adebayo’s lower leg.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For years, the LAPD struggled to clear a decades-old backlog of untested rape kits that at one point ballooned in number to more than 6,100.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Kilmer, who died from throat cancer at 65, signed on to the project, but struggled with health issues once production began.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Blakey also erred in instructing the jury on the Travel Act by including as predicates state offenses that do not require a quid pro quo.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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But those who in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries made erroneous predictions of imminent mass starvation erred by underestimating the world‑changing potential of grasses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blundered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blundered. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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