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
Relevance
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
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
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
There are many stars in Francis Ford Coppola’s batshit crazy and, some would say, botched $120-million dystopian epic from last year, Megalopolis, which the legendary Hollywood auteur paid for out of his own pocket.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Spider-Man 3 (2007) A botch job of oppositional motivations practically disowned by its own director, the messiest Spider-Man movie is a near-constant tonal misfire, simultaneously more serious than its predecessors and more willfully goofy.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Verb
So, instead of botching basic clock management over and over again as Jerod Mayo did last year, when the Pats finished 3-6 in one-score games, expect those situations and records to flip.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
There are many stars in Francis Ford Coppola’s batshit crazy and, some would say, botched $120-million dystopian epic from last year, Megalopolis, which the legendary Hollywood auteur paid for out of his own pocket.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
Lastly, there was the botch job of trading away Jake Guentzel at the deadline last season.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Spider-Man 3 (2007) A botch job of oppositional motivations practically disowned by its own director, the messiest Spider-Man movie is a near-constant tonal misfire, simultaneously more serious than its predecessors and more willfully goofy.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botch
Verb
-
San Francisco’s star defensive end tackled running back Ken Walker III for no gain on first-and-5 from the 9-yard line, then pushed right tackle Abe Lucas back in the pocket on second down, causing Darnold to fumble.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Defensive tackle Ed Oliver also caused Derrick Henry to fumble – the running back’s only blemish during the night.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
-
Baker also leads the orchestra, which sounds grand — although the sound in the arts center’s Pugh Theater often left musicians, lead singers and chorus all at the same level, with actors speaking over all of it at the same time to create a sonic jumble.—
Matthew J. Palm,
Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
As health restrictions discouraged people from blowing directly into instruments, Gajewski and Brown reimagined the design.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Soldiers have also been spotted in parks carrying out tasks typically assigned to gardeners and landscapers – shoveling mulch, blowing leaves and scooping up trash.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods helps maintain a balanced gut microbiome.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Forbes publishes a variety of rankings, including the best employers and the richest people.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When Souleymane rehearses his account, in an early scene, Barry admonishes him for blandly reciting (and often bungling) the false facts he’s been given.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Too bad 2016's epic nonstarter bungles its smash-up with spinoff teases, Iron Man 2's government-oversight plot, and whatever Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is doing with that bullet.—
Devan Coggan,
EW.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The space complements the retailer’s unique assortment of apparel and accessories, which for the anniversary will be further enriched by a selection of Gigli’s archival pieces, in a nod to Zambeletti’s roots and homage to the designer that sparked her fashion journey.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Tucked away on the corner of Brookhurst Street and Bolsa Avenue, a colorful neon sign with an assortment of fruits decorates the window of an otherwise unassuming storefront display.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Our family has been ruined by Denise's lies of promising to end a year-long affair.—
Stephanie Wenger,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bettencourt performed with Osbourne at the show, and his band Extreme honored him with a medley of his hits at a concert in Zürich last month.—
Daniela Avila,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Busta Rhymes also took the stage for a medley of his songs before he was honored with the Rock the Bells Visionary Award.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share