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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of bungle
Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
But Denver bungled five — five — chances to extend their lead to two scores in the second half after taking resounding control of the game in the second half.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bungle
Verb
Zach Johnson has spent the past two years in the awkward air of bungling the Americans’ 2023 trip to Rome.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
But Denver bungled five — five — chances to extend their lead to two scores in the second half after taking resounding control of the game in the second half.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 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
-
Missouri couldn’t win on third down The Zollers fumble on third-and-10 summed up this area.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
-
While trying to stop the clock with only seconds remaining, Eastern Washington quarterback Jake Schakel fumbled the ball on a spike attempt with his team at the Montana 5-yard line.—
Alex Valdes,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
During last week's WWE SmackDown, a series of mistakes and botches drew harsh criticism from fans.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
-
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
-
Straight line winds can blow down trees, power lines, and damage mobile homes and other buildings.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The Buffalo Bills were left stunned in Miami on Sunday afternoon as the Dolphins blew them out 30-13 in a crucial AFC East rivalry game.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One wrong foothold, one bobble, one slip, and he is destined to fall for a while.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Montgomery, a former high school quarterback, got the snap in the backfield and threw to Goff, who powered his way into the end zone after a brief bobble.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
-
So, no, women didn’t ruin the workplace.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Soon, Wegovy and Zepbound will be sold on a new website—dubbed TrumpRx—for only about $250 a month, a fraction of their current retail price of more than $1,000.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The observatory is conducting a ten-year-long survey of the southern sky, dubbed the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, which has as one of its principal goals improving our understanding of the nature of both dark energy and dark matter.—
Ian Randall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungle. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share