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fumbles 1 of 2

noun

plural of fumble
as in mistakes
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy played the entire piano piece without a single fumble

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fumbles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of fumble
1
as in blows
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 gropes
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 stumbles
to make a mistake just when it looked like he was going to get away with the ruse, he fumbled

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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 fumbles
Noun
The fans’ reward is zero wins, one interception and three fumbles so far this year. — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026 The Chargers were done in by six fumbles, among other miscues. — ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026 Far too many fumbles Ricard’s value can’t be measured in the box score. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Those 14 dropbacks produced 11 passing yards, an interception and two fumbles, one of which the Chiefs recovered and later turned into a touchdown to put the game to bed. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026 Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield surrendered three fumbles during the loss. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Two-way lineman Elijah Patmon had three sacks and forced two fumbles. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
DeLand was driving inside the 20 yard line and Taihj Moore fumbles, recovered by Lake Mary. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026 Buford scored 17 points off three Gainesville fumbles on punt plays. — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Sims catches a hitch and turns up field but fumbles the ball while switching hands. — Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 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 The movie fumbles the chance to do something arresting with this seminal period in art. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 May 2026 If the creditor fumbles the process, then an otherwise valid and collectible debt may be barred. — Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026 The Seahawks are a high-turnover team on both sides of the ball, but the 49ers have forced just two takeaways in the season series — both fumbles in the opener. — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026 The Honda backs up a few feet as the agent fumbles at the door handle. — George Petras, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumbles
  1. mistakes
  2. blows
  3. gropes
  4. stumbles
  5. blunders
  6. bungles
  7. looks
  8. trips
Noun
  • This week, some people make gigantic mistakes that are very entertaining.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
  • If mistakes are made, then the priority should be to avoid doing them again.
    — Mac Engel September 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Verb
  • Policymakers' ignorance of oil market mechanics becomes clear only when geopolitics enters the picture and blows it all to hell, either figuratively or literally.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The exhaust port blows to the rear to allow for quick cleaning of leaves and grass clippings.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of blows
Verb
  • In the video, a woman exposes herself and an officer, identified by investigators as Herman, gropes her, police said in a statement last year.
    — Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 15 Aug. 2025
Definition of gropes
Verb
  • Reacher stumbles out into the street and collapses, sheets of rain washing the blood from his mighty frame.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Liberty stumbles down after escaping 24-23 against a winless FCS Gardner-Webb team that has an interim head coach.
    — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of stumbles
Noun
  • José Caballero, who had a solo homer and an RBI single, and Ben Rice, who blooped a go-ahead, two-run single, also helped the Yankees overcome a few defensive blunders.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • And, on occasion, other teams have countered Phillies’ blunders with their own sterling fundamentals.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of blunders
Verb
  • Joe Burrow bungles Bengals’ passing game My theory of the case with Caleb Williams is that there was untapped running value here.
    — Michael Salfino, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of bungles
Verb
  • Down in the comments section of the original post, fans showered both the mother and daughter with love — and couldn’t agree whether Charlotte looks more like her mother or father.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Venus in your career zone forms an awkward connection to Uranus in your playful 5th house, stirring tension between what looks polished and what actually feels interesting.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of looks
Verb
  • And as the cops try to arrest them, only to realize their own jails aren’t accessible, the film expresses perfectly how the government trips over its own feet while resisting inevitable change.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Wheeler trips more often now and no longer rides his scooter around the cul de sac because of his deteriorating vision and poor coordination.
    — Gerry Smith, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of trips

Browse Nearby Words

fumblers
fumbles
fumbling
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Cite this Entry

“Fumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumbles. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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