as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
I refuse to let that bungling incompetent insult me again
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fumbling
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bungling
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026
K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
Cricket was shot for yapping uncontrollably, bungling the mission, and killing innocent bystanders.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Walsh was joined by Sean Davis, Saagar Enjeti, and other conservative commentators who spent the day accusing the administration of bungling its messaging on the conflict.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 3 Mar. 2026
Hollywood stars would do well to worry less about bungling the teleprompter and more about being true to their heart.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
The pair wasn’t done with its bungling yet.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2026
At that point, the day had been characterized by sloppiness and frustration, with Bears pass catchers failing to secure at least a half-dozen catchable throws from their quarterback and, on three occasions, bungling fourth-down opportunities.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
When Souleymane rehearses his account, in an early scene, Barry admonishes him for blandly reciting (and often bungling) the false facts he’s been given.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Aug. 2025
Similarly, after government bungling and delays in responding to the 1995 earthquake, tens of thousands of people flocked to pitch in.
—Takehiko Kambayashi, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2025
Adjective
His friendship with Epstein was never a secret — though his bungling aides’ accidental reopening of it is one of history’s greatest political errors.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
And Kash Patel's FBI seems to be bungling the investigation at every step.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
Cricket was shot for yapping uncontrollably, bungling the mission, and killing innocent bystanders.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Walsh was joined by Sean Davis, Saagar Enjeti, and other conservative commentators who spent the day accusing the administration of bungling its messaging on the conflict.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 3 Mar. 2026
Hollywood stars would do well to worry less about bungling the teleprompter and more about being true to their heart.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
The pair wasn’t done with its bungling yet.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2026
At that point, the day had been characterized by sloppiness and frustration, with Bears pass catchers failing to secure at least a half-dozen catchable throws from their quarterback and, on three occasions, bungling fourth-down opportunities.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
When Souleymane rehearses his account, in an early scene, Barry admonishes him for blandly reciting (and often bungling) the false facts he’s been given.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Aug. 2025
Similarly, after government bungling and delays in responding to the 1995 earthquake, tens of thousands of people flocked to pitch in.
—Takehiko Kambayashi, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bungling
Adjective
-
Perugino’s compositions tend to be clumsy in their parallels—two people on the left, two people on the right—and the skin typically looks like candle wax.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The collapse of the talks wasn’t the fault of bad faith or clumsy diplomacy.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There was an emotional honesty that embraced the idea that growth isn’t always linear (see Andie from The Devil Wears Prada, fumbling a relationship with a good guy because her career came first).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Be ill-prepared for Christmas and face the danger of fumbling your most profitable time of the year.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Cavaliere made headlines earlier this year by banning Chappell Roan from ever performing at the concert after the singer had an awkward encounter with the stepdaughter of Brazilian soccer player Jorginho.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is one of Washington’s enduring, if somewhat awkward, rituals.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In addition, strong winds over desert areas could result in briefly lowered visibilities to well under a mile at times in blowing dust or blowing sand.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This kind of build-up is unusual because volatile elements like sodium, which can get exposed after an object is blasted with micrometeorites, are usually later depleted by solar winds blowing from the sun and the general influence of space.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Specifically, The Ritz of the Bayou, reissued this month by Hub City Press, the happy result of a botched reporting assignment.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The department has transferred a captain, a lieutenant, and six Brooklyn Narcotics detectives who made up the team that ran the botched buy-and-bust operation in the aftermath of the video.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Kroffts popularized cultural figures ranging from the inept Weenie the Genie to siblings Donny and Marie Osmond.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
But what Connor Bedard is doing offensively this season on an otherwise inept Blackhawks team is simply too special to ignore.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe Dan’s buddy Henry (Jake Curran) is even more incompetent than previously hinted at, in terms of aiding and abetting a homicide.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Sports franchises everywhere can be tacky, rapacious, incompetent, extortionate, and otherwise exploitative, but only because their customers, the fans, are essentially captives.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Rolder, an inexperienced but effective linebacker, could be an immediate impact player on special teams.—
Mike Kaye
April 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bungling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungling. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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