as in fumbling
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
he booted the answer of what should have been an easy question
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Recent Examples of booting
Striker Dejan Joveljic slotted home his team-leading fifth goal of the year, booting in an 18th-minute mistake by the Sounders in front of their own goal.
—
The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
But coyotes have been steadily gaining territory, booting foxes out of any space wild enough for coyotes to live.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
Those still using a 486 for one reason or another will still be able to run older Linux kernels and vintage operating systems—running old software without emulation or virtualization is one of the few reasons to keep booting up hardware this old.
—Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2026
Mission specialist Christina Koch noted an issue with booting up the part of Orion’s waste management system that collects urine.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
Eldridge expressed disdain for booting a routine grounder in the seventh, but rookie manager Tony Vitello came away impressed with the top prospect’s effort on defense.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Strom added that the offering outreach to homeless people with the threat of booting them and throwing their belongings out is counterproductive.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In fact, the IOC might consider booting the sport altogether in June.
—Dana Oneil, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Here’s what audiences should know before booting up their screens.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
But coyotes have been steadily gaining territory, booting foxes out of any space wild enough for coyotes to live.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
Those still using a 486 for one reason or another will still be able to run older Linux kernels and vintage operating systems—running old software without emulation or virtualization is one of the few reasons to keep booting up hardware this old.
—Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2026
Mission specialist Christina Koch noted an issue with booting up the part of Orion’s waste management system that collects urine.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
Eldridge expressed disdain for booting a routine grounder in the seventh, but rookie manager Tony Vitello came away impressed with the top prospect’s effort on defense.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Strom added that the offering outreach to homeless people with the threat of booting them and throwing their belongings out is counterproductive.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In fact, the IOC might consider booting the sport altogether in June.
—Dana Oneil, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Here’s what audiences should know before booting up their screens.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for booting
Verb
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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
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There was an emotional honesty that embraced the idea that growth isn’t always linear (see Andie from The Devil Wears Prada, fumbling a relationship with a good guy because her career came first).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Anika Reed Latin music superstar Maluma opted for a dapper Tom Ford suit with his hair slicked back into a bun, blowing USA TODAY a kiss before exiting the carpet.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
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Police and fire departments in North Arlington warned that prevailing winds were blowing smoke east into North Arlington and advised all residents to close their windows.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Some progressives have cheered Luigi Mangione for murdering Brian Thompson, a health-care CEO.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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The unsealed indictment formally charges Bowen with murdering Metayer Bowen with a firearm and tampering with evidence.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Booting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/booting. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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