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
The Boston southpaw didn’t permit a baserunner until Spencer Jones, who botched a ball in center field a half-inning later, singled in the sixth inning. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026 The inter-office tension grew after Paxton not only botched a case, but showed up to court the next day drunk, landing her in rehab and on a redemption tour that never quite stuck. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 19 June 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
  • Eugene Levy‘s fumbling birds and the bees talks comprise some of the funniest moments of American Pie — and most of them were improvised.
    — Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026
  • But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 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
  • One interception attempt resulted in a large explosion that spectacularly blew the roof off a fuel tank.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • After the final whistle blew and this Norway team had made history, Haaland took a moment and looked into the Norwegian cheering section, trying to process what had just happened.
    — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 6 July 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • The nomination for variety special (pre-recorded) means Swift herself is a nominee as the performer and a producer of the concert film, which showcased the final performance of her record-breaking tour.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Where to go From mountains to coastline, Georgia offers a variety of unique habitats for birds.
    — Lesly Gregory, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of variety
Verb
  • The combustion of Graham Platner’s candidacy in Maine is another blow to a Democratic Party trying to mend its reputation after bungling the 2024 presidential election.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 9 July 2026
  • Kylian Mbappe, Romelu Lukaku and Darwin Nunez are some names at the World Cup who have previously bungled a knee slide celebration by diving into the ground, rather than trying to sling themselves along it.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of bungle
Noun
  • Cotliar went on to work at an assortment of local papers around Los Angeles, then caught wind that The Times had an opening.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • The Protect Illinois Communities Act was signed into law in 2023 by Pritzker and bans AR-15 rifles and similar guns, large-capacity magazines and an assortment of attachments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
Definition of assortment
Verb
  • Instead of fighting with Whitney, Lindsay has a talk with Yvonne about how Lindsay ruined Yvonne’s wedding by making it all about her.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 8 July 2026
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 8, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of ruin
Noun
  • This recipe is the perfect medley of onion dip and cucumber salad that is better than store-bought.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 8 July 2026
  • And for more of a medley, consider three different colorways to line a midcentury-modern lap pool.
    — Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 30 June 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 12 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of botch for Spanish Speakers

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