botch 1 of 2

verb

Definition of botchnext
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

botch

2 of 2

noun

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

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 botch
Verb
Nebraska botched multiple plays in the kicking game and rushed for just 54 yards. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Coach Rhett Lashlee was already annoyed with special teams coming into the game, and that was before the Mustangs botched two PAT attempts. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
During last week's WWE SmackDown, a series of mistakes and botches drew harsh criticism from fans. — Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 This might seem like a minor quibble, but the fact that the new movie botches the whole wait-what-did-they-actually-do-last-summer thing speaks to a prevailing sense of laziness. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for botch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botch
  1. fumble
  2. jumble
  3. blow
  4. variety
  5. bungle
  6. assortment
  7. ruin
  8. medley
Verb
  • Three plays later, Austin Simmons hit Cayden Lee, who got blasted by a Longhorn defender and fumbled to set up the game-sealing Texas TD.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Nov. 2026
  • And four plays after Browne fumbled at his own 2, Washington scored on 1 -yard plunge.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of fumble
Noun
  • 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
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble
Verb
  • The Jets blew a nine-point halftime lead and wasted a 33-point afternoon against a Raiders team that had lost four straight.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • As the final whistle blew at CPKC Stadium, signaling victory for the Kansas City Current in a Saturday playoff match, a release of joy swept across the field.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • People heading into the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period with plans to sign up for insurance should expect a variety of changes in 2027, including higher premiums and fewer coverage options.
    — Fatima Hussein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Arugula is a leafy green that can be incorporated into a variety of dishes from breakfast and lunch to dinner.
    — Molly Allen, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of variety
Verb
  • The administration was bungling the withdrawal and struggled to evacuate American citizens and Afghan allies amid the chaos.
    — Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • On September 30th, the state of Tennessee bungled its attempt to kill Christa Pike, who survived two injections of pentobarbital.
    — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of bungle
Noun
  • Outside the building were an assortment of generators, cables and Starlink dishes.
    — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
  • That includes things like better marketing and potential resets to the product assortment.
    — Jeff Marks,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of assortment
Verb
  • The tumult of these raids, which played out daily on TV and social media, ruined lives and hurt local economies.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Season is far from over The good news is, unlike Miami’s historic 1988 loss in South Bend, this loss does not ruin the Hurricanes’ chances to win a national title.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of ruin
Noun
  • Sequenced at the center of a three-track medley, its death-dream logic deliberately evokes the SMiLE era’s dark, confusing edge.
    — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Transfer the vegetable medley to a 13-by-18-by-1-inch sheet pan.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of medley

Browse Nearby Words

botanicals
botch
botched
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Cite this Entry

“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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