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
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2026
Continue reading … RINSE AND REPEAT — CNN slammed for third time for botching NYC terrorist attack coverage.
—FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 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
An inmate’s seemingly clever plan to escape jail via the visitation room ceiling – after meeting with his attorney – proved to be botched from get-go, according to investigators in North Carolina.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2026
Continue reading … RINSE AND REPEAT — CNN slammed for third time for botching NYC terrorist attack coverage.
—FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 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
-
Andrea Pinamonti’s sublime strike helped Sassuolo fight back to win 2-1 as Cagliari fumbled a precious lead.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
With the title in their grasp, the Ducks have greased up their fingers, fumbling into a four-game winless slump.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
-
Duke would make the 2025 Final Four before blowing a lead and getting upset by Houston in the national semifinal.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Clippers recovered after blowing a 23-point lead to beat rookie Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks 116-103 on Tuesday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Membership has its privileges, as Ogilvy’s memorable ad slogan for American Express went, and those privileges are of the monied variety.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The wood-and-metal finish blends effortlessly with a variety of styles.—
Jacquelyn McGilvray,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Choose from a big assortment of polish, gift sets, treatments and polish for kids.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
An assortment of stone tools, including grinding slabs, mullers, pestles, and mortars, suggested that grain was processed on-site.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Talley went long with an 8-iron into a back bunker on the 12th, the hole that ruined Jordan Spieth's chances of a repeat Masters victory in 2016.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The multiple mistresses ruined his image; the countless injuries derailed his golf game.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For their meal, the couple enjoyed steak and a medley of seafood, including lobster, sea bass, oysters, clams, and shrimp.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
-
For the elder millennials, the bittersweet spot was the medleys of older Kanye cuts released from 2004 to 2016 (think The College Dropout to The Life of Pablo).—
Adelle Platon,
VIBE.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
