as in shambles
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cock-up
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 -
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
Noun
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And Zuccarello responded just 36 seconds later, cleaning up a mess in front of the Detroit net with his second goal of the period.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
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It’s housed inside its own twist-bottom tube and contains an internal brush to give you an effortless, mess-free method of application.—
Michelle Baricevic,
InStyle,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The second half of the series is Ben Kingsley reprising his role as Trevor Slattery, the actor character who played The Mandarin in Iron Man 3, attempting to redeem himself after that fiasco.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The parking meter fiasco has been back in the news this week because that original consortium put the deal up for sale and why not?—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That muddle is making a dangerous situation even more potentially volatile.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
23 Dec. 2025
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Democrats are facing a primary muddle across the country in must-win Senate races such as Texas, Michigan, and Maine.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Depending on the weather, a disaster emergency could be declared, which can help access state and federal funding.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
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Camarda — who was also a member of the first space shuttle crew to launch after the 2003 Columbia disaster — is among a group of former NASA employees who do not believe that the space agency should put astronauts on board the upcoming lunar excursion.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As the Enola Gay debacle demonstrated, politicians and other stakeholders—including the donors who provide a decent amount of exhibition funding—tend to want the institution to tell uplifting stories.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
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Closer to home, Texas Democrats are concerned that Paxton might not push Musk over the Grok debacle given the billionaire’s thick GOP connections.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
22 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cock-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cock-up. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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