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
Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 27 May 2026
Bernthal, who plays Sonny, has his own wayward machismo and hapless sensitivity, the very qualities that made Al Pacino unforgettable in the role of the bungling bandit with a Catholic conscience.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
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
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
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
Adjective
The broadest of comedies, the film’s often puerile humor is driven by an endless stream of male bungling, blundering and whining, only to be kicked up a notch by pratfalls of nearly every variety, from getting bucked off a galloping horse to tripping into a pile of trash.
—Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 27 May 2026
Bernthal, who plays Sonny, has his own wayward machismo and hapless sensitivity, the very qualities that made Al Pacino unforgettable in the role of the bungling bandit with a Catholic conscience.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bungling
Adjective
-
The historic victory, the nation’s first ever in the World Cup, was overshadowed when the midfielder injured his leg in gruesome fashion following a clumsy challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
-
Better systems beat willpower as clumsy Chiron enters your 6th House of Work and Health, reminding you that mistakes teach faster than shame.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump said, fumbling for words.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
-
But then again, neither is the Bears fumbling and bumbling.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The awkward situation that Thiago is talking about involves receiving the ball with his back to a player who is closing him down at speed from behind.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Almost nine years after their awkward handshake at the 2017 Bastille Day military parade, the two men politely shook hands and expressed their affinity for each other.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Michael Kleinman, a toxicologist and professor at UC Irvine’s Wen School of Population and Public Health, said the zone from the smoke is very dependent on how fast the wind is blowing and in what direction.—
Hayley Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Jo Adell and Donovan Walton each had three hits as the Angels bounced back after blowing a late seven-run lead in the series opener Friday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Alpha Camp beat Charlie Camp into the finals in dramatic fashion despite Leiya's botched fire-starting.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
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The bases were loaded with two outs after Volantis hit two batters around the first of catcher Carson Tinney's two botched throws to first after dropped third strikes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Forky has shades of Buster Bluth, the socially inept youngest sibling in Arrested Development, and Gary Walsh, the always available aide in VEEP, who brings co-dependence to dizzying new heights.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2026
-
Some of the rather inept, possibly corrupt police officers take to her therapy sessions.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Clinical psychologists concluded after exams in the six years since his arrest that McGuire was incompetent to stand trial.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
-
She was found incompetent to stand trial and was committed to the Missouri Department of Mental Health, according to a statement provided by Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Jazzlyn Johnson.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
At $18 or even $15 per hour, many companies don’t see value in hiring inexperienced teens who require extensive training to interact with customers, let alone achieve some measure of productivity.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
Lagway’s depature after 19 starts leaves the Gators to choose between two talented, yet inexperienced options with just one combined start — by Philo against Gardner-Webb in 2025.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bungling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungling. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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