fumble 1 of 2

noun

Definition of fumblenext
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

fumble

2 of 2

verb

ˈfəm-bəl How to pronounce fumble (audio)
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

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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 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 fumble
Noun
One thing that makes Rodriguez such a great fit in what the Dolphins want to do defensively is his propensity to punch the ball out for forced fumbles. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026 The former Kentucky star owns a 5-16 record as a starter while throwing for 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions to go along with a whopping 17 fumbles. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
Omar Brown hauled in an interception but fumbled, ball was recovered by Anthony Hankerson. — Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 Most of the world was fumbling and scared, and Fauci seemed to have some idea of what to do. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumble
  1. mistake
  2. blow
  3. grope
  4. stumble
  5. blunder
  6. boot
  7. look
  8. trip
Noun
  • That makes the world a more dangerous place, where a mistake by just one actor could ignite a regional firestorm, with a US military weakened by Iran unable to ensure American security.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In a statement Monday, Gomez admitted to making mistakes, but denied violating any laws or House ethics rules.
    — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistake
Verb
  • California is attempting to build the nation's first bullet train, a project that's ballooned in cost and has blown through deadline after deadline for more than a decade.
    — Julie Watts, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The technology adapts the physics of Helmholtz resonance, which is the physical phenomenon behind the hum produced by blowing across a bottle neck.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • Quaylin Wesley, 27, of Oakland and Vallejo, has been charged with 10 felonies for allegedly going into the girl’s room repeatedly on the night of June 13 and groping her, forcing her to touch him, and attempting to sodomize her, prosecutors say.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Love curated these parties to create a space where patrons don’t have to worry about their drink getting spiked, getting groped in the crowd, or their light being dimmed in any way, Love said.
    — Zuri Primos July 27, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
Definition of grope
Verb
  • Vulcan has stumbled due to ongoing problems with the performance of its solid rocket boosters, which are provided by Northrop Grumman.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Nothing that would actually stop a person, a child, a wheelchair or a stumbling drunk from going straight into the water.
    — Joseph V. Sakran, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of stumble
Noun
  • But the motivations for the murders were an unplanned series of blunders designed to correct mistakes that were made.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey made an uncharacteristic defensive blunder Wednesday night.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of blunder
Verb
  • Little League on Monday ruled that Tulsa National Little League's 12U team had an ineligible player on the roster and booted it from the Southwest Region Tournament, the final stop before the Little League World Series.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • O’Hare booted members of the public from the room for the meeting for disrupting decorum, instead inviting speakers to address the commissioners one-by-one.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of boot
Verb
  • The same California Craftsman look; almost identical plank siding; a similar tasteful yet cheery color palette.
    — Julie Z. Weil, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Retail flows look very different now compared with prior years, Meng said.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of look
Verb
  • The bear scratched his arm, and the victim tripped and injured his foot while trying to escape, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • How quickly the brain and body react after tripping — with your foot automatically thrusting forward, for example, to prevent yourself from face-planting — is what plyometrics trains for.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of trip

Browse Nearby Words

fulsome
fumble
fumbled
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Cite this Entry

“Fumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumble. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fumble

Nglish: Translation of fumble for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fumble

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