Synonyms of drop the ball

drop the ball

phrase

as in trip

to make a mistake

I'm so sorry I dropped the ball and forgot to buy the wine for the dinner party.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• trip
• fumble
• stumble
• slip up
• lay an egg
• screw up
• goof (up)
• foul up
• blunder
• err
• mess (up)
• louse up
• fluff
• nod
• mistake
• boob
• flub
• misunderstand
• murder
• butcher
• muff
• botch
• mangle
• misdeem
• bungle
• misconceive
• misjudge
• bobble
• miscalculate
• misgauge
• miscue
• misconstrue
• foozle
• misinterpret
• mishandle
• miscount

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of drop the ball

Which wideout or defensive back will literally and figuratively drop the ball? — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Furious drops the ball a bit in the interactions with Emma and Jay Easton, turning them into one-dimensional caricatures instead of complex villains, but honestly, this show isn’t really about them. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

That’s because the Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver ran a slant and dropped the ball that quarterback Malik Willis fired his way. — Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

New York running back Tyrone Tracy took a handoff and dropped the ball untouched. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026