as in humming
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
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1
as in fumbling
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chatting
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly
overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bumbling
Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
The Kings were booed off the floor Wednesday after bumbling their way through the team’s second-worst homestand of at least four games since February 2021.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2025
In true Reichardt fashion, the driving force of the film is not the crime itself, which takes place in bumbling fashion in the first third, but what happens afterward.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 2 Oct. 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
See All Example Sentences for bumbling
Verb
Kevin's dream of being home alone quickly turns into a hilarious nightmare and battle of wits when a pair of bumbling thieves attempts to break into his house.
—Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
The Kings were booed off the floor Wednesday after bumbling their way through the team’s second-worst homestand of at least four games since February 2021.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2025
In true Reichardt fashion, the driving force of the film is not the crime itself, which takes place in bumbling fashion in the first third, but what happens afterward.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 2 Oct. 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
See All Example Sentences for bumbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumbling
Verb
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The Fresno State product didn’t exactly wow with size — a visible tick shy of a 5-foot-11 pre-draft measurement — but displayed solid timing and kept the rhythm humming on Saturday.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
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At the Golden Nugget’s four locations, our in-person diners have started returning to pre-pandemic numbers, and delivery, which spiked in 2020, is still humming.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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But Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace hit three-pointers while Smart was fumbling the ball and James and Hachimura were missing shots, while an Oklahoma City 8-0 run eventually gave them another 13-point lead that was never again challenged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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The result leaves nearly every performer fumbling for traction in Serkis and Stoller’s muddy-yet-gutless cinematic sty.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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America is building the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence but stumbling badly in applying it.—
Drew Cukor,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
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The mood in Venice is still borderline ecstatic, full of gossip, parties, and people chatting about art in their respective cities, trading business cards, discovering new talent, eating, drinking, and stumbling around, running into old friends.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Inside the bus, students — ever the teenage archetype — were napping, chatting and stretching.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
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Friends Josh Horowitz and Stanley Tucci grab a picture at the 92NY in New York City after chatting about The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Tucci in Italy on May 5.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Stockholm is buzzing with vitality and optimism for the future.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
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The spring and summer months bring buzzing bees, blooming flowers, sunny skies and baby deer.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
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San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who polled at 5% in the CBS survey, accused Becerra of bungling the federal government’s response to COVID-19, mpox and the influx in child migrants under former President Joe Biden.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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And Kash Patel's FBI seems to be bungling the investigation at every step.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the time, the group had around two dozen employees and was struggling for financial stability.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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The key will be to continue building off the encouraging start, especially after struggling with his command in Colorado last week.—
Jesús Cano,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Dayanara Deschamps Betances was zipping northbound on her e-bike, with a 75-year-old passenger seated behind her, in the right lane of Amsterdam Ave.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
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The Artemis 2 astronauts remained vigilant while zipping around the far side of the moon last month, on the ready to record meteoroid impact flashes on the lunar landscape.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumbling. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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