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
-
My first few hours with the EM11 NL were marked by overshooting links, fumbling through simple selections, and occasionally wondering why anyone would voluntarily use a vertical mouse.
-
Bennett is concerned, for instance, that Hong could win her primary and then be defeated in November by Republican Tom Tiffany, fumbling the governorship of a swing state into the hands of a far-right Freedom Caucus member who dabbled in 2020 election conspiracy theories.
Verb
-
Gane finished off Pereira in the second round to win the title on Sunday after sending him stumbling with a right jab followed by a hammer fist.
-
But stumbling into a town with a visual landscape that still shows Guedes' thumbprint was a delight.
Verb
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
-
Royce Lewis slipped an RBI single up the middle in the 10th inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Colorado Rockies 9-8 on Friday night after blowing a seven-run lead.
Verb
-
There's been some stumbling plays, thwarted by tripping and dramatic falls.
-
The latter tumbled 10% Tuesday, tripping a circuit breaker that prompted a 20-minute cooling off period.
Verb
-
Atlanta was out-everythinged in an 83-71 loss to the Indiana Fever on Thursday, botching a chance at a statement game.
-
He was taken into custody at the scene, after botching several sobriety tests, body-cam footage shows.
Cite this Entry
“Flubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flubbing. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
