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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of botched
Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Owners and management are now frequently worried about the damage a botched restructuring could do to a team’s economics, fan base and culture.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Kwan singled up the middle, advanced to second when Angel Martinez was hit by a pitch and scored when Minnesota second baseman Luke Keaschall botched a grounder hit by Ramírez.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for botched
Adjective
Prosecutors argued that the crash was a botched murder-suicide attempt that had been carried out by Mackenzie because of her fractured relationship with Russo, while the defense said that Mackenzie suffered from POTS, a condition that can cause dizziness and fainting, and had blacked out.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Owners and management are now frequently worried about the damage a botched restructuring could do to a team’s economics, fan base and culture.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Verb
Disney has, for the most part, completely botched Star Wars.
—Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Kwan singled up the middle, advanced to second when Angel Martinez was hit by a pitch and scored when Minnesota second baseman Luke Keaschall botched a grounder hit by Ramírez.
—CBS News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for botched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botched
Adjective
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But a clumsy tackle and a penalty shootout later, and Arsenal left Budapest with nothing.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Once in the water, where crocodiles have the home-ground advantage, large mammals become clumsy, oxygen-limited and vulnerable to rotational forces they are poorly equipped to resist.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Big shock, but the only goal came from an Arsenal corner as Riccardo Calafiori headed in a Rice delivery that was fumbled by Altay Bayindir (6ft 6in; 198cm).—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
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Second baseman Luis Arraez had a chance to turn a double play on Montgomery’s grounder but fumbled the ball and had to settle for one out.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
24 May 2026
Adjective
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Perhaps that is down to the 28-year-old’s awkward gait on the bike, all elbows and knees, not unlike Chris Froome, while his time trialling aerodynamics leave a lot to be desired.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
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More comics journalism from Life Kit Still cringing about that awkward moment?—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
25 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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The Yellow Jackets blew an 8-2 lead before recording an out in the fourth.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
1 June 2026
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The 22-year-old Wembanyama was emotional, bursting into tears as the final horn blew and again choking back emotions after being named the Most Valuable Player of the WCF.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Motorists complained the gasoline was contaminated and ruined their cars.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
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After having his wedding night ruined, a finger and toe cut off and being buried alive, Jacob Elordi‘s Nate Jacobs faced his fate when a venomous rattlesnake slithered its way into the hole he was buried in and bit him.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Botched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botched. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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