as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
bungled the job the first time she tried to do it
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Recent Examples of bungle
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
One day, calling kids up to get pizza for a class lunch, the teacher repeatedly and purposely bungled her name.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bungle
Verb
Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
One day, calling kids up to get pizza for a class lunch, the teacher repeatedly and purposely bungled her name.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
The admission is just the latest bungle from New York’s beleaguered legal marijuana program, which has been hamstrung by legal challenges, a slow rollout and gaps in the law that allowed an illicit market to flourish.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bungle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bungle
Verb
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Beauty products have taken over my sink, leaving me fumbling for my go-to face washes and serums every morning and night.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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The Steelers failed to capitalize on the miscues from a jittery Stroud, who fumbled twice and threw a pick deep in Pittsburgh territory.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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During last week's WWE SmackDown, a series of mistakes and botches drew harsh criticism from fans.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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This might seem like a minor quibble, but the fact that the new movie botches the whole wait-what-did-they-actually-do-last-summer thing speaks to a prevailing sense of laziness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
Verb
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But aerospace engineers at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have discovered a material that blows those two out of the water with nearly thrice the thermal conductivity.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
27 Jan. 2026
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The shuttle just suddenly blew apart.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Caught it, but not until after a bobble as he was getting thrown backward.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Dec. 2025
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And, the consequence of a bobble, or a wrong turn, is certain death.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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This will either change your life or ruin you.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As Ars Technica reports, space startup Vast has opted to build a smaller and more feasible interim station, dubbed Haven-1, which will serve as the precursor for much larger outposts capable of continuous habitation in the more distant future.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
22 Jan. 2026
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The spa During my stay, Splendido had a partnership with Dior to create a pop-up spa experience dubbed Jardin des Rêves Dior, featuring two spa cabanas situated in the gardens.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungle. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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