1
as in fumbled
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
added too much flour and flubbed the gravy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbled
to make a mistake
at some point in your training you're going to flub, so don't let it rattle you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flubbed
The Giants only committed one error when shortstop Willy Adames flubbed a routine grounder, but there were several instances of sloppy defense on San Francisco’s end.
—
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 10 May 2026
Both there and in Saturday’s F1 Sprint race, Antonelli flubbed the start or got dusted off the line, depending on your point of view.
—David J. Neal
updated May 2, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026
In overtime, leading Leafs scorer William Nylander had a breakaway but flubbed it, sending the Kings the other way for an odd-man rush.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
With Detroit leading 2-1 in the third, Justin Faulk flubbed a breakout pass up the wall to David Perron, who couldn’t get it out, allowing Boston to extend an offensive zone shift and quickly set up Elias Lindholm on the weak side.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The Ducks equalized when Andrew Mangiapane flubbed a sterling opportunity at one end and Sennecke created one at the other.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
The newspaper industry, again and again, has flubbed its chance to propel itself into the future.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The comedian eventually flubbed a line and broke into laughter while performing the sketch on live TV.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025
The Padres added a run against Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen in the fifth when Machado walked, Bogaerts volleyed his second single into right field, Sheets reached on a fielder’s choice in which the Diamondbacks flubbed a catch and Jake Cronenworth walked.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 10 May 2026
Both there and in Saturday’s F1 Sprint race, Antonelli flubbed the start or got dusted off the line, depending on your point of view.
—David J. Neal
updated May 2, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026
In overtime, leading Leafs scorer William Nylander had a breakaway but flubbed it, sending the Kings the other way for an odd-man rush.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
With Detroit leading 2-1 in the third, Justin Faulk flubbed a breakout pass up the wall to David Perron, who couldn’t get it out, allowing Boston to extend an offensive zone shift and quickly set up Elias Lindholm on the weak side.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The Ducks equalized when Andrew Mangiapane flubbed a sterling opportunity at one end and Sennecke created one at the other.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
The newspaper industry, again and again, has flubbed its chance to propel itself into the future.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The comedian eventually flubbed a line and broke into laughter while performing the sketch on live TV.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025
The Padres added a run against Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen in the fifth when Machado walked, Bogaerts volleyed his second single into right field, Sheets reached on a fielder’s choice in which the Diamondbacks flubbed a catch and Jake Cronenworth walked.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flubbed
Verb
-
Before that, when the Jets could have taken the lead on their opening drive, Allen fumbled on the Dolphins’ 1-yard line.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
-
The Spurs had one more chance, but Stephon Castle fumbled the inbounds pass and pandemonium at Madison Square Garden followed.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Because the 59-year-old MAGA actor has stumbled into a debate that’s been vexing DC fans for more than six decades.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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The memorial effort dragged for years as the private onePulse Foundation, originally tasked to create it, stumbled and then collapsed amid excessive ambition that produced a plan for a $100 million memorial and museum the group had no ability to fund.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Once the opening whistle blew, all the focus turned to the field.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
-
After someone blew a hole in the Nord Stream Pipeline deep under the Baltic Sea in September 2022, the global media debated a geopolitical whodunnit.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Four years later in Italy, the waterworks went again, as those infernal penalty kicks tripped us up against West Germany in the semifinal.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
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According to the family's lawsuit against DPD, Officer Verona Shaw tripped on the steps while entering the backyard.—
Alysia Burgio,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Rubio is the president’s top adviser on both national security and diplomacy at a moment when the United States has blundered into an unpopular war that appears to be a strategic catastrophe.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
-
Padres fielders blundered in three of his outings.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flubbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flubbed. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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