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
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
The Giants scored the game’s first run in the top of the third when Mariners center fielder Luke Raley fumbled the ball on Bryce Eldridge’s single with runners on first and second. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 19 July 2026 Basabe, 48, fumbled his way through the trial, often seeming confused about the legal proceedings. — Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026 Before that, Tampa Bay fumbled scoring opportunities in five of the first seven innings and stranded five overall. — ABC News, 22 June 2026 After South Korea’s goalkeeper fumbled a ball, Luis Romo scored the goal that gave the Mexicans six points and pushed them to the top of the standings. — Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026 OnlyFans fumbled a previous version of this dilemma. — Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 Before that, when the Jets could have taken the lead on their opening drive, Allen fumbled on the Dolphins’ 1-yard line. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 12 June 2026 The Spurs had one more chance, but Stephon Castle fumbled the inbounds pass and pandemonium at Madison Square Garden followed. — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumbled
  1. clumsy
  2. blew
  3. looked
  4. stumbled
  5. awkward
  6. muffed
  7. reached
  8. tripped
Adjective
  • This not only flipped the pages but also translated the Japanese onomatopoeic sounds into somewhat clumsy English equivalents.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • The other, in quite clumsy English, requested a very careful renovation of Ingmar Bergman’s house on the island of Fårö, in Sweden.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
Definition of clumsy
Verb
  • Things were never the same for Mike McCarthy after Green Bay blew a 16-0 halftime lead and a 19-7 advantage in the final 3 minutes against Seattle and lost the 2014 NFC Championship Game, 28-22, in overtime.
    — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • That announcement nearly blew the roof off of Hall H, but nothing matched that intensity this year.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 26 July 2026
Definition of blew
Verb
  • The first practice under coach Jeff Hafley looked a bit different from years past.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • Half of the Spaniard’s 40 appearances for City came at Yankee Stadium, which might explain why his Liverpool side looked so at home on a warm evening.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of looked
Verb
  • Fresh from lifting the FIFA Club World Cup and buoyed by optimism around Enzo Maresca’s project, the Blues stumbled to a disappointing 10th-place Premier League finish.
    — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • The Curiosity rover stumbled on the polygon field while ascending the foothills of a three-mile-high mountain called Mount Sharp, where it’s been roaming since 2014.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 July 2026
Definition of stumbled
Adjective
  • Created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, the series has earned comparisons to Friends and Girls thanks to its awkward humor, relatable characters, and chaotic friendships.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • If Tottenham don’t sign someone before that first game, De Zerbi might have to use an awkward front three of the Frenchman, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke.
    — Luke Bosher, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of awkward
Verb
  • With Freddie Freeman standing on second base, after a leadoff double against Padres right-hander Randy Vásquez, Muncy hit a sharp grounder to second baseman Will Wagner, who muffed the play.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
  • The Cubs players continued to taunt Ruth at every opportunity, and a big one came their way in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jurges slashed a sinking liner into right field and the lumbering, top-heavy Babe muffed a shoestring catch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Definition of muffed
Verb
  • Jorge Polanco reached on a two-out error at first base by Stowers.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Crime reached a breaking point that summer after a drive-by shooting killed a man at Progress Park, topping off a string of violent incidents in the neighborhood just northeast of uptown Charlotte.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of reached
Verb
  • Brooks, who is recovering from back-to-back ACL injuries, took a kick return rep midway through practice and seemingly tripped with his momentum taking him head-first into rookie linebacker Jackson Kuwatch’s ankles.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2026
  • The footage alone cannot tell us whether the robot tripped or lost balance.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 July 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 2 Aug. 2026.

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