Synonyms of bumble

bumble 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈbəm-bəl 

as in to buzz

to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound

a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

• buzz
• hum
• zip
• whizz
• whirr
• burr
• whisper
• whir
• whiz
• drone
• zoom
• whistle
• hiss
• coo
• purr
• sigh
• chirr
• churr
• whish
• murmur
• fizz
• rustle
• thrum
• wheeze
• swish
• curr
• whoosh
• sizzle

bumble

2 of 2

verb (2)

1

as in to fumble

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

accused the White House staff of bumbling the announcement of the replacement for the cabinet post

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumble
• blow
• bungle
• ruin
• dub
• botch
• boot
• butcher
• muff
• fluff
• spoil
• mangle
• murder
• boggle
• bobble
• screw up
• flub
• destroy
• goof (up)
• foul up
• muck up
• blunder
• damage
• muddle
• mar
• foozle
• bollix (up)
• wreck
• louse up
• mess (up)
• bugger (up)
• injure
• hurt
• flaw
• harm
• gum (up)
• blight
• impair
• mutilate
• blemish
• piffle
• mismanage
• vitiate
• mishandle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• help
• improve
• better
• remedy
• enhance
• ameliorate
• rectify
• refine
• reform
• patch
• repair
• fix
• meliorate
• renovate
• revamp
• doctor
• recondition

2

as in to stumble

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stumble
• struggle
• blunder
• limp
• trudge
• shuffle
• flounder
• fumble
• plod
• lurch
• jog
• lumber
• falter
• sway
• shamble
• reel
• stagger
• totter
• flog
• wallow
• muddle
• welter
• teeter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coast
• fly
• glide
• sail
• zip
• zoom
• kilt

3

as in to chat

to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly

overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

• chat
• chatter
• drool
• babble
• gibber
• prattle
• sputter
• shout
• gabble
• stutter
• rattle
• jabber
• mutter
• mumble
• drivel
• shriek
• stammer
• blither
• prate
• blabber
• blather
• patter
• bleat
• smatter
• yack
• troll
• yak
• screech
• gab
• mouth
• jaw
• murmur
• jangle
• run on
• chunter
• maunder
• tittle-tattle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pronounce
• articulate
• enunciate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bumble

Verb

This horror film from director Na Hong-jin is set in a quiet rural village in South Korea, where bumbling police officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won) goes about his everyday work in a humdrum manner. —Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

The same year that Zipf secured his measure of posthumous fame, Harvard’s football team bumbled its way to a 1-8 record. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Stars from Christmas Vacation and the original National Lampoon's Vacation reunited at a panel at Chicago Fan Expo earlier this month, where Randy Quaid and Beverly D'Angelo both recalled the Fletch star's difficulties portraying bumbling patriarch Clark Griswold during the 1989 holiday sequel. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025

Which is a shame because Cuoco’s chemistry with on-screen husband Chris Messina was entertaining, especially as the couple bumbled their way through the true crime craze comedy. —Hunter Ingram, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025