as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
I've somehow buggered up the program again
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugger (up)
Verb
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But then Superman lost flight and Warners fumbled the lucrative Reeve franchise greatly.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
8 July 2025 -
Ferguson couldn't find the end zone once, and even fumbled the ball four times, after preventing fumbles entirely during his first two seasons in the league.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Some of the clips have also already begun to go viral including one of Chase’s gazelle-like movement and another of Hill blowing by Smith-Njigba in coverage.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 July 2025
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Water moving at 25 mph has the pressure equivalent of wind blowing at 790 mph, faster than the speed of sound.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Year-long court battles have been waged over exactly how clean the water in the Everglades has to be without fouling up the whole system.—
Alex Harris
July 3,
Miami Herald,
3 July 2025
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His idea is included in the tweet below: By adopting this policy, the league would immediately change the calculations that come with fouling up three.—
Mat Issa,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
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With Joe Maddon as his manager for the first half of his career, Hendricks was provided room to screw up — messing around with his mechanics and pitch arsenal — to become a top-end starting pitcher who helped the Chicago Cubs claim the 2016 World Series.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2025
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Why are investors so calm in a world filled with war and chaos? Because Iran’s options in terms of screwing up the oil market are actually quite limited.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Sophisticated travelers can savor world-class dining, from rich Hakata ramen to the most delicious gyoza, or explore modern art, castle ruins, and shops run by local artisans.—
Mark Lakin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 July 2025
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Olivia Lloyd
July 9,
Miami Herald,
9 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bugger (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugger%20%28up%29. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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