fumbled 1 of 2

adjective

as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation) my future father-in-law shook his head over my fumbled attempt to compliment his daughter

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fumbled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of fumble
1
as in blew
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 looked
to search for something blindly or uncertainly the librarian fumbled for the light switch as she entered the dark room

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3
as in stumbled
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 fumbled
Adjective
Bachmeier twice converted on third down with runs, including an 8-yarder after a fumbled snap. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 In the preseason opener, Mahomes was on the field for three snaps after the Chiefs recovered a fumbled kickoff to open the game. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
However, Cam Skattebo fumbled to give Washington an opportunity. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 With Oregon outside linebacker Nasir Wyatt blitzing, Iamaleava attempted to throw the ball away to the flat and instead fumbled, giving the Ducks the ball on the Bruins’ one-yard-line. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 Willis fumbles After the Dolphins forced a Cincinnati punt, Willis fumbled -- his third in three games. — Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026 But as New York tried to run down the clock, Cam Skattebo fumbled, and Washington recovered. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Harris fumbled with the Giants driving in Arizona territory early in the fourth quarter. — Doug Haller, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 He's also dropped several passes and fumbled a pitch on an end-around. — CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 The rookie tight end caught seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in his first career start Sunday, even as the Lions beat the Jets, 31-24, after Geno Smith fumbled with seconds remaining. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026 Jeff Dean / Getty Images When Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow fumbled late in the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh exhaled with a 30-27 win over a division rival. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumbled
  1. clumsy
  2. blew
  3. looked
  4. stumbled
  5. awkward
  6. muffed
  7. reached
  8. tripped
Adjective
  • One of the clumsiest parts of Klosterman’s book is his attempts at political punditry.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Feed your head Neagley gets off to a sluggish start, with a workmanlike, rather clumsy first episode largely spent establishing the main characters and central plot—and the writers lean a bit too hard on constant Chicago callbacks.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of clumsy
Verb
  • But the administration blew past a Sunday evening deadline and ran two of the ads into the early hours of Monday, advertising data from AdImpact shows.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Commanders scored a touchdown two minutes into the game and never trailed, yet still blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of blew
Verb
  • The event featured high-flying stunts, air-pumping cold thrusters, and a driverless demonstration that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier versions looked unnaturally green, while the team also considered how the character’s skin would react to different lighting.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of looked
Verb
  • Drew Rasmussen squandered a two-run lead on the mound, Tampa Bay's bullpen let the game get away and the Rays stumbled to a 7-3 loss against the Cleveland Guardians in their American League Championship Series opener Monday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Kore-eda stumbled on the manga in a bookshop rather than through its serial run.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumbled
Adjective
  • The happy reunion is actually a bit awkward and tense at first.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Grappling with how the world has molded you, and how that manifests in life, in love, and in your day job, can be an awkward process.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of awkward
Verb
  • The next one started from the one-yard line after wideout Terrell Anderson muffed a punt.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Derius Davis muffed a punt return and it was recovered by Seattle's Connor O'Toole.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of muffed
Verb
  • Temperatures reached 122 degrees Fahrenheit for about six hours, forcing stores to discard fresh and frozen goods.
    — JOHN LEICESTER, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The German government has so far refrained from comment on the trial, pointing out that no verdict has yet been reached and the case is in the hands of the independent judiciary.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of reached
Verb
  • Up until tonight, Raman has done a good job of communicating a message of hope and change, while Bass, as the incumbent, has repeatedly tripped on her record over the biblically bad four years of her first term.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The truest sign that Joseph had tripped the Rams up with Hufanga’s blitz came by looking at Rams right guard Kevin Dotson.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of tripped

Browse Nearby Words

fumble
fumbled
fumbler
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Cite this Entry

“Fumbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumbled. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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