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
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Recent Examples of fumble
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Mired by the Texans’ smothering defense, Rodgers completed 17-of-33 passes for 146 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception and two fumbles.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for fumble
Noun
Jedi-in-training Rey (Daisy Ridley), reluctant hero Finn (John Boyega) and X-wing warrior Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) lead the ragtag Resistance against a returning Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) in a film that's full of logic fumbles and muddies the focus of the third and final trilogy.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Mired by the Texans’ smothering defense, Rodgers completed 17-of-33 passes for 146 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception and two fumbles.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
Verb
Tensions between the galley and the interior continue to escalate over lunch service, when a radio mishap fumbles the order in which the food should go out.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for fumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumble
Noun
-
There are always mistakes on the petitions.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2026
-
Wembanyama rectified that mistake on the next play.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Somewhere a hand was raised, a whistle was blown, and all at once the butchers were out of their stalls, assembling in the aisles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
The Washington Nationals used Richard Lovelady, who blew Monday’s series opener, as an opener, followed by veteran Miles Mikolas for a bulk appearance, their most promising combination given their roster construction and arms available.—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The abuse included groping and fondling of the students’ genitals and other acts under the guise of a medical examination.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Once in the pool, the man grabbed and groped the girl, police said.—
Larry Seward,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Chip stocks, however, stumbled; bitcoin is hovering at its weakest since the war began, private credit is throwing off sparks again — and a flesh-eating parasite has turned up in Texas.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
The goal of the game is to land the stunt successfully without stumbling.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The Phillies got some help in the eighth inning on a baserunning blunder by Fernando Tatis, on first base with two outs after his third hit of the game.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
-
Adell misplayed a flyball into a bizarre home run off his head Tuesday, a fielding blunder reminiscent of José Canseco's embarrassing gaffe 33 years ago with the Texas Rangers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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He was also booted from his 30-room Windsor mansion as that scandal unraveled.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2026
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For example, OpenAI lets users send its default model 10 messages every five hours before booting them to a weaker version.—
Stephan Bisaha,
NPR,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Chestnuts bloom in these graceful, long pine-tree shapes, which look like a symbol of something.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
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The unlikely tourist attraction was inspired 73 years ago, when a farmer looked at the twine littering the floor of his barn.—
Staff,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Beauchamp tripping back in time, lost and separated in the highlands of 18th century Scotland.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
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The two facts sit in such obvious tension that most workplace analysts trip over one trying to explain the other.—
Jasmine Browley,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumble. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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