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
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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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Yet, as any visitor stalled in traffic or fumbling for cash to top up a transit card discovers, the old Seoul persists beneath the new.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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What to know about the Patriots-Texans game Despite three turnovers and Drake Maye fumbling four times, the Patriots held on to beat the Houston Texans, 28-16.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These are just some of the most prominent, powerful bootlickers stumbling right now on their own deceit and desperation.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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The Russians had made a mistake, with Sikharulidze stumbling out of a double axel.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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They’ve been burned enough by blowing leads this season.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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Wilkerson treated him like a traffic cone, blowing by and bullying him for baskets.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cognitive Mercury and upbeat Jupiter are tripping over one another, potentially impacting your day-to-day routine or plans with your friends.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
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There should never be too many things piled up in a home, especially next to points of exit and entry, which could be a tripping hazard.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As punishment for botching a murder case, Eldrick Cole is transferred to a police station in a remote Arctic town.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
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How improbable was Romeo Doubs botching an onside kick?—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flubbing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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