as in fumbling
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
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Recent Examples of botching
Atlanta still entered halftime with a comfortable 60-46 lead, however, after Boston squandered a chance to draw closer by botching the final possession of the half.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
As punishment for botching a murder case, Eldrick Cole is transferred to a police station in a remote Arctic town.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
How improbable was Romeo Doubs botching an onside kick?
—Dan Pompei, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
The episode ends with Hegseth botching the Peter Thiel extraction and ending up in jail himself right alongside Thiel.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2025
But Team Blue ultimately squanders their lead, completely botching the puzzle as the other two tribes smoke theirs.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2025
Even as his team keeps messing up, botching substitutions and committing untimely errors, Mike McDaniel generally keeps his calm.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
The look was a polarizing one, to which Alcaraz blamed one of his brothers for botching the assignment.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
As punishment for botching a murder case, Eldrick Cole is transferred to a police station in a remote Arctic town.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
How improbable was Romeo Doubs botching an onside kick?
—Dan Pompei, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
The episode ends with Hegseth botching the Peter Thiel extraction and ending up in jail himself right alongside Thiel.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2025
But Team Blue ultimately squanders their lead, completely botching the puzzle as the other two tribes smoke theirs.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2025
Even as his team keeps messing up, botching substitutions and committing untimely errors, Mike McDaniel generally keeps his calm.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
The look was a polarizing one, to which Alcaraz blamed one of his brothers for botching the assignment.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botching
Verb
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Yet, as any visitor stalled in traffic or fumbling for cash to top up a transit card discovers, the old Seoul persists beneath the new.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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What to know about the Patriots-Texans game Despite three turnovers and Drake Maye fumbling four times, the Patriots held on to beat the Houston Texans, 28-16.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Small armies of residents still gather to observe federal officers from cars or on foot – honking horns and blowing whistles to alert neighbors.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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After blowing a 22-point lead in Friday’s loss to the Celtics in Boston, the Heat closed its quick two-game trip at 1-1.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mist dissipates around a room instead of spewing out like a wet stream, which keeps Alpert worry-free about ruining her wooden bed frame.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
6 Feb. 2026
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In fact, for some items, a standard cold wash can be ruining.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Botching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botching. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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