as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
played the entire piano piece without a single fumble
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
her assistant fumbled the party plans by getting the time wrong on the invitations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grope
to search for something blindly or uncertainly
the librarian fumbled for the light switch as she entered the dark room
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to stumble
to make a mistake
just when it looked like he was going to get away with the ruse, he fumbled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of fumble
Pat Wheeler, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
Despite all the fumbles and mishaps of teaching journalism to a very green staff of (mostly) volunteers, season 1 of The Paper ends on a high note with the Toledo Truth Teller being nominated for three awards.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2025
Looking to maybe ice the win, Two Rivers fumbled deep in Simley territory early in the fourth quarter.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fumble
Noun
Starting from their own 26-yard line, Bowell suffered the first turnover of the game when a hard hit by Saginaw’s Cornell Davis during a handoff exchange caused a fumble that Davis recovered.
—Pat Wheeler, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
Despite all the fumbles and mishaps of teaching journalism to a very green staff of (mostly) volunteers, season 1 of The Paper ends on a high note with the Toledo Truth Teller being nominated for three awards.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
Tommy Maher muffed one punt deep in his own territory and fumbled at the end of a long return on another.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2025
Looking to maybe ice the win, Two Rivers fumbled deep in Simley territory early in the fourth quarter.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumble
Noun
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Having the confidence to make tough decisions, to trust your team, to learn from your mistakes, and to keep moving forward.—
WWD Staff,
Footwear News,
8 Sep. 2025
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That, in my opinion, is a mistake.—
Arthur Azizov,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Cleveland Browns blew both a golden opportunity at what would’ve been the surprise upset of Week 1 and a chance to add to the Cincinnati Bengals’ early-season misery of the past few years.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Students described being held down and having teammates rub their genitals on their faces, being groped in locker rooms, and in some cases penetrated with a broomstick.—
Hannah Dreyfus,
AZCentral.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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The woman is accused of getting into an argument with a man who groped her days earlier, according to the criminal complaint.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Closer Bryan Abreu stumbled but has earned the benefit of the doubt with the dominance he’s displayed.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Exposure to harmful content is another risk as studies show that teens are more likely than adults to stumble upon self-harm imagery or extremist propaganda.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When the event is abruptly cancelled due to a booking blunder, the four seize the chance to brainstorm a sequel, retreating to the film’s original locations for inspiration.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
29 Aug. 2025
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Some staff reportedly asked whether the messages were a mistake, underscoring the confusion and distress caused by the blunder.—
Christer Holloman,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But in return, the Spring Hill lawyer gets booted from the Bar for at least five years and any civil or criminal matters associated with the Bar cases remain unaffected.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
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With one out, Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez hit a sharp ground ball directly to Moore, who booted it.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This will prevent dust and other debris from accumulating, which can make these rooms look dirty and smell stale.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
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Forbes compiled a list of the top 500 higher education institutions in the country by looking at alumni salaries, retention and graduation rates and amount of student debt, among other factors.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Finn simply tripped in an environment that was not set up to be safe for him.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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With no cords to trip over, cleaning will feel a lot less like a juggling act.—
Toni Sutton,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumble. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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