as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
the first time we tried to make a cake, we botched the job completely
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jumble
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things
this police procedural is basically a botch of plot elements stolen from other (and better) novels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of botch
Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Pulisic also botched a breakaway chance in the 45th minute when his pass for Weston McKennie in was too late, allowing Portugal’s defense to recover.
—Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 1 Apr. 2026
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
Those communication botches, whether on the break or in the half court, often include Towns, who once again vanished as a scorer.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Verb
Lawmakers of both parties accused Bondi of botching the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, which Congress directed in December.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Pulisic also botched a breakaway chance in the 45th minute when his pass for Weston McKennie in was too late, allowing Portugal’s defense to recover.
—Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
The 10-member panel’s first time out, in 2022, was a total botch, as the process was unconstitutionally hijacked by Democrats in the Legislature until it was stopped by the state’s highest court.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
Those communication botches, whether on the break or in the half court, often include Towns, who once again vanished as a scorer.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botch
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
Noun
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Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Mets, who are a close second to LA with a $370 million payroll and over $500 million due in payments this year thanks to the luxury tax, have now lost 11 straight games after blowing a ninth inning lead to the Cubs on Sunday.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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Matt Strahm struck out the side in the eighth inning, but Erceg allowed three walks and blew a save opportunity.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Since 2007, Congress has relied on a variety of general fund offsets to cover an increasingly larger share of the HTF.—
Andrew Stasiowski,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Gray served in a variety of consequential positions over the years and wielded influence deftly to the benefit of the community, said Dick Batchelor, who represented Central Florida in the Legislature from 1974 to 1982 and regarded Gray as a sage confidant.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Authorities bungle the case but still arrest a maintenance worker for the killings.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
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Apollo’s acquisition came after Verizon Communications bought Yahoo’s online operations in 2017 and then bungled an attempt to blend those services into AOL, another internet pioneer.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That's because, while garlic is a delicious food that adds rich flavor to your favorite recipes, this pungent plant can also repel an assortment of common garden pests, from aphids to deer.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Apr. 2026
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Offering a limited assortment of two- to four-bedroom homes for sale, along with a penthouse collection, ranging from approximately 1,702 to 11,540 square feet, Park Elm developed its wine program in response to a clear shift in how today’s luxury buyers are engaging with wine.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
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Who knew that an attempt to ruin Iran’s navy and army would result in the demilitarization of the West?—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Following that, Jennifer Hudson, who starred with Murphy in Dreamgirls (for which Murphy was nominated for an Academy Award), sang a medley of songs from the musical.—
John Ross,
Vanity Fair,
19 Apr. 2026
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Joy Randolph and Jennifer Hudson (who performed a medley of songs from Dreamgirls).—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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