as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
a botched attempt to mend relations with our disaffected European allies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fumbled
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of botched
Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
The Yankees capitalized on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s botched handling of a groundball in the first, as well.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Sep. 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
See All Example Sentences for botched
Adjective
This will be enough to top the eshop charts, sell out stores and recover some of the reputation damage from Scarlet and Violet’s botched launch.
—Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
The Yankees capitalized on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s botched handling of a groundball in the first, as well.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Activist investor Sardar Biglari started his eighth proxy fight against Cracker Barrel, seizing on the chain’s earnings miss, stock slide, and botched $700 million rebrand to argue that CEO Julie Masino and the board have destroyed shareholder value.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Sep. 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
See All Example Sentences for botched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botched
Adjective
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Even the basic details of the situation can sound like the clumsy plot of some apocalyptic thriller.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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An exceptionally clumsy device.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Onana then fumbled a low cross from the right by Yasin Ayari, with the ball falling to the feet of Georginio Rutter.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Last season, Daniels fumbled the ball twice in the last five minutes.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Frederick Wherry, Kristin Seefeldt, and Anthony Alvarez examine the strategies potential lenders use to make these interactions less awkward.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
27 Oct. 2025
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Talk about awkward reunions at unlikely places, if this does happen.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One day, calling kids up to get pizza for a class lunch, the teacher repeatedly and purposely bungled her name.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Sep. 2025
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But Denver bungled five — five — chances to extend their lead to two scores in the second half after taking resounding control of the game in the second half.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After the final whistle blew at Memorial Stadium, Kiffin made some headlines for his postgame behavior toward an Oklahoma player.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
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But as the team was celebrating, the officials on the field blew the play dead and gave Philadelphia the first down.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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No, baseball was not yet ruined.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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There is even Depardieu’s own late son, Guillaume, whose death at age thirty-seven was hastened along by heroin use that had ruined his health, and over whom Ferrara recalls Depardieu shedding copious tears during one of their early meetings.—
Nick Pinkerton,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Botched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botched. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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