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
Relevance
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
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.
Recent Examples of flubbing
But Andrew Garfield told a funny story about Pattinson's old roommate, Tom Sturridge, flubbing his own audition for a part in the film.
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
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
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flubbing
Verb
-
Like, for example, calling a risky trick play in South Bend that resulted in wide receiver Makai Lemon fumbling on first-and-10 from the Notre Dame 37-yard line down three points in the fourth quarter.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
-
The whole series comes down to the Cavs fumbling away Game 1.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
This includes people who do not know each other and who did not coordinate with one another to gather all somehow separately, hearing about Manhattanhenge (or simply stumbling across the crowd) and enjoying the view together.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
-
The video then shows Henderson stumbling towards a wall in the area, where someone can be seen calling for help.—
Brittney Ermon,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Not because the Dodgers’ reliever gave up three runs in the eighth inning to the Philadelphia Phillies, blowing a save opportunity and getting tagged with his first loss of the season.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
The plants store electricity generated by large solar and wind farms to release back on the power grid at night when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The broadest of comedies, the film’s often puerile humor is driven by an endless stream of male bungling, blundering and whining, only to be kicked up a notch by pratfalls of nearly every variety, from getting bucked off a galloping horse to tripping into a pile of trash.—
Natalia Winkelman,
Variety,
27 May 2026
-
Just the usual catching a skate blade or tripping over a tree root.—
Risa Jampel,
STAT,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
He was taken into custody at the scene, after botching several sobriety tests, body-cam footage shows.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
In the probable cause affidavit filed at the time, prosecutors accused the mother of three of spiking her husband's drink with a lethal dose of the drug less than three weeks after botching her initial attempt to kill him on Valentine's Day.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flubbing. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
