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
Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 2026
Invest in the right tools What’s the difference between a successful color application versus a botched dye job?
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2026
Darnold, of course, is the great what-might-have-been for Jets fans, who watched helplessly as their team botched its oversight of the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for botched
Adjective
Two teens and a young woman have been arrested for murder for a botched robbery of a Bronx BMW driver, police said Monday.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 2026
Invest in the right tools What’s the difference between a successful color application versus a botched dye job?
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Several cool props gestured to historical infrastructural neglect and botched Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2026
Darnold, of course, is the great what-might-have-been for Jets fans, who watched helplessly as their team botched its oversight of the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for botched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botched
Adjective
-
That makes the killers kind of human and fallible and clumsy, and these movies get a lot of mileage out of the slapstick shenanigans of their slasher chases.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Then, however, Phillips was sent off four minutes into the second half for a clumsy lunge at Svante Ingelsson, and suddenly Wednesday believed.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And the counseling office fumbled it.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Cornell fumbled with Mercader’s clothing, trying to find them.—
Josh Ireland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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He is seen as favoring Christine Lagarde, head of the European Central Bank, to take over WEF, though her huffy exit this year from a dinner stacked with US government officials may make things awkward.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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His selection could prove awkward, as the Islamic Republic has long criticized hereditary rule and cast itself as a more just alternative.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But both episodes will go down in state history as poorly handled, bungled beyond all understanding, the two shoves on our back that sent us spiraling out of control.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
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Compare that to how Bondi prostituted the Justice Department to a vengeful president and bungled the entire Epstein matter.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But a tree fell on his home of 20 years, and portions of the roof of a house across the street blew into his yard.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The Canadiens blew a full power play in overtime and lost in a shootout.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What father would ever allow such devastation, assuring fellow patriarchs that their lives without sons would be ruined forever?—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Burd and Batalucco have essentially ruined their home by placing cameras everywhere so Friends Keep Secrets can always be capturing whoever is wherever.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Botched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botched. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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