COCK-UPS Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

cock-ups

noun

plural of cock-up, British

as in shambles

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cock-ups

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

Definition of botches

Noun

Additionally, different types of enzymes (and thus, enzyme cleaners) are best suited for different messes.

— Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 3 Aug. 2026
The organization, which is responsible for cleaning up the messes after superhero battles, has something that Jean wants locked inside a vault.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026

Definition of messes

Noun

That was, frankly, ridiculous, and our coverage said as much, arguing that this deep dive into one of Hollywood’s most notorious genre disasters deserved a much wider release.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
That official oversees preparations and response to public health emergencies and disasters and is involved in decisions about funding next-generation vaccines against pandemic flu or other infectious disease threats.

— CBS News, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Definition of disasters

Noun

Contained within all these fiascoes is a subtly different conservative movement.

— Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
Trump is the most corrupt and scandal-plagued president since Nixon; indeed, his fiascoes eclipse Nixon’s, but many of them remain mostly or somewhat hidden, thanks in part to a much more acquiescent Republican Congress than the one Nixon had.

— David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026

Definition of fiascoes

Noun

Of course, this growing mass constitutes a serious threat to the ocean ecosystem, not to mention the environmental catastrophes regularly caused by tanker accidents themselves.

— Alexander Klose, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
Insurance is a risk mitigation product, and insurance carriers may choose not to renew with you in case of sustained catastrophes.

— Kumar Rupesh, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of catastrophes

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.

Browse Nearby Words

cock-up

cock-ups

cocky

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cock-ups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cock-ups. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of cock-ups

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

invidious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes