1
as in fumbling
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
the first baseman bobbled the catch, so the runner was safe
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bobbling
On Friday, all 53,675 fans went home with a bobbling figurine of Ohtani at the plate, a memento honoring his performance in Game 4 of the NLCS last October.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
First baseman Carlos Santana dived toward the foul line and stopped the ball before bobbling it, allowing Rojas to score from third and extend the Dodgers' lead to 4-2.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Mara also doesn’t have great hands around the rim and has a penchant for bobbling the ball instead of catching it immediately.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
The two-point attempt went horribly with Judkins bobbling the snap and ultimately throwing it into no-man’s land.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025
After bobbling Wilyer Abreu’s fourth-inning fly ball over the right field fence for a two-run home run, Myers came back to tie the game with a solo shot off Greg Weissert in the top of the ninth.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
First baseman Carlos Santana dived toward the foul line and stopped the ball before bobbling it, allowing Rojas to score from third and extend the Dodgers' lead to 4-2.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Mara also doesn’t have great hands around the rim and has a penchant for bobbling the ball instead of catching it immediately.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
The two-point attempt went horribly with Judkins bobbling the snap and ultimately throwing it into no-man’s land.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025
After bobbling Wilyer Abreu’s fourth-inning fly ball over the right field fence for a two-run home run, Myers came back to tie the game with a solo shot off Greg Weissert in the top of the ninth.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bobbling
Verb
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But Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace hit three-pointers while Smart was fumbling the ball and James and Hachimura were missing shots, while an Oklahoma City 8-0 run eventually gave them another 13-point lead that was never again challenged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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The result leaves nearly every performer fumbling for traction in Serkis and Stoller’s muddy-yet-gutless cinematic sty.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Each node resembles a huge steel sphere bobbing on the water with a tube-like structure extending vertically down beneath the surface.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
5 May 2026
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The host of Watch What Happens Live and executive producer of The Real Housewives franchise, Cohen is bobbing and weaving from one reality universe to the other in many different forms.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The music is eclectic and often gorgeous, the emotional intensity still capable of blowing all else away.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
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Think of the way the path smells ahead of you, think of the freedom the wind is blowing your way.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Verb
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This is a type of life support that does the work of the heart and lungs, pumping blood outside the body through a machine that oxygenates it using a microporous membrane that allows for gas exchange.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
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The first conclusion is that all groundwater users pumping from the Floridan Aquifer are in part responsible for declining flows at the many hundreds of artesian springs in Florida.—
Robert Knight,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Structure information summary Most structures in this region are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
10 May 2026
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About 180,000 people experienced light to strong shaking, according to the USGS.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bobbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bobbling. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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