1
as in fumbling
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 stumbling
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 flubbing
Simeon Cottle, the leading scorer for Kennesaw State men’s basketball, stands accused of intentionally flubbing his performance in a March 1, 2024, game against Queens University.
—
Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Filmmaking is flubbing the catch, and sometimes knowing the fool that's to blame is yourself.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
David Jiricek made what could have been a costly turnover in his own zone in the first period, flubbing a touch-pass into his own slot, but Robert Thomas couldn’t convert as Gustavsson steered him aside.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Filmmaking is flubbing the catch, and sometimes knowing the fool that's to blame is yourself.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
David Jiricek made what could have been a costly turnover in his own zone in the first period, flubbing a touch-pass into his own slot, but Robert Thomas couldn’t convert as Gustavsson steered him aside.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flubbing
Verb
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Replacement players have been ridiculous for years, going back to 2009-10, when Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard made the grade by going 7-9, throwing 15 TDs with 10 interceptions and fumbling a league-worst 14 times.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
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Super Bowl 60 saw the Seattle Seahawks claim victory over the New England Patriots, but there were plenty of other winners — and losers — off the field during the game, with some brands scoring with their commercials and others fumbling their attempts for a loss.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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He’s saved by a drunken Ser Arlan, who comes stumbling into the alley and instinctively follows his knightly code to defend the innocent.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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The victim was then seen stumbling backwards and sustained a visible mark on her neck, according to the sheriff's office.—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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Reality Check makes a point to mention ad nauseam that much of the public backlash toward America’s Next Top Model took hold following the pandemic, when a majority of people were blowing through their to-watch queue, desperately seeking fresh viewing fodder.—
Hunter Lacey,
Allure,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Another thing that a lot of these jam band fans love is drugs — tripping, smoking weed, rolling on MDMA, doing peyote or ayahuasca, and eventually many of them loved smoking crack and shooting heroin.—
David Manheim,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
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Shortly afterward, a southbound G train entering the station hit the frozen obstruction, tripping the train’s emergency brake.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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He also was accused of botching medical procedures and causing animals to suffer.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Atlanta still entered halftime with a comfortable 60-46 lead, however, after Boston squandered a chance to draw closer by botching the final possession of the half.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flubbing. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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