Synonyms of botched

botched 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbächt 

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

• clumsy
• awkward
• inept
• bungling
• inexperienced
• fumbled
• sloppy
• careless
• incompetent
• inexpert
• inefficient
• maladroit
• amateurish
• unprofessional
• unskilled
• unpolished
• ineffectual
• amateur
• green
• crude
• misguided
• ineffective
• misdirected
• tactless
• unskillful
• ill-advised
• tacky
• undiplomatic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deft
• able
• adroit
• facile
• professional
• competent
• capable
• skilled
• skillful
• clever
• masterful
• adept
• expert
• polished
• proficient
• talented
• accomplished
• masterly
• dexterous
• consummate
• easy
• diplomatic
• smooth
• gracious
• effortless
• tactful
• crackerjack

botched

2 of 2

verb

past tense of botch

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

• fumbled
• bungled
• blew
• ruined
• dubbed
• murdered
• mangled
• flubbed
• muffed
• butchered
• destroyed
• booted
• spoiled
• screwed up
• fluffed
• bumbled
• marred
• boggled
• bobbled
• damaged
• fouled up
• goofed (up)
• buggered (up)
• injured
• mucked up
• wrecked
• messed (up)
• foozled
• loused up
• flawed
• bollixed (up)
• blundered
• muddled
• impaired
• hurt
• mutilated
• harmed
• blighted
• gummed (up)
• mismanaged
• blemished
• vitiated
• piffled
• mishandled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improved
• enhanced
• helped
• refined
• remedied
• rectified
• reformed
• bettered
• ameliorated
• fixed
• repaired
• revamped
• renovated
• meliorated
• patched
• doctored
• reconditioned

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of botched

Adjective

Observers worry about his fund-raising strategy, the botched autopsy rollout, the mood in the office. — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026

Also on Wednesday, a botched car bomb detonated prematurely, killing three people at a nearby home and also eight militants who were rigging the explosives. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Verb

New starting center Jared Wilson botched another snap working with Maye. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 30 July 2026

Clark’s ouster, meanwhile, was botched, as a leak left ESPN brass scrambling to inform the former Steelers safety that he was being released Monday during an NFL Live commercial break. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 21 July 2026