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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugger (up)
Verb
-
After South Korea’s goalkeeper fumbled a ball, Luis Romo scored the goal that gave the Mexicans six points and pushed them to the top of the standings.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026 -
OnlyFans fumbled a previous version of this dilemma.—
Gustavo Turner,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Referee Nicolae Rainea blows his whistle.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Imagine a world where the weather forecast calls for winds blowing at 11,000 miles per hour (18,000 kilometers per hour) and nighttime showers of liquid metal, rubies and sapphires.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
In the end, though, neither an explosion nor a giant spill of fluid that could foul up waterways and the ocean occurred.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
-
An incorrect connection or approach can foul up a line, damage a plane or cause an accident.—
Tara Copp The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
But four years ago, Sorsby screwed up in a massive way.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
The two screwed up a top-rope stunner as Excalibur struggled to explain what happened like a 2026 Jim Ross.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Don't Worry Too Much About Saltwater Or Chlorine Many people assume a quick swim in the ocean or pool will ruin their sunglasses.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
-
Could the Boston Celtics or another team ruin the Heat’s plan, swooping in and trading for Antetokounmpo this offseason and getting a long-term commitment from him?—
Anthony Chiang
June 19,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Bugger (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugger%20%28up%29. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
