as in mistakes
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
played the entire piano piece without a single fumble
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in stumbles
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 fumbles
Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
McDuffie has defended 34 passes, made two interceptions and forced eight fumbles in 56 career regular-season games.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
The Chiefs lost just three fumbles a year ago and that tied for the fewest in the NFL.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
During four seasons with the Chiefs, McDuffie forced eight fumbles, three interceptions and broke up 34 passes.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Sports fans may forgive interceptions and fumbles.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
New England quarterback Drake Maye had seven fumbles in the postseason and lost four.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Ware, Dallas’ franchise leader in sacks, forced fumbles and tackles for loss, spent nine seasons with the Cowboys, earning seven Pro Bowl nods and four All-Pro selections.
—José Sánchez Córdova, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Darnold threw the most interceptions in the NFL when under pressure this season and had a dozen fumbles.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Feb. 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
Dante Moore fumbles and loses 11 yards, knocking Oregon out of field goal range and forcing them to punt after the interception.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
Texas kick returner Ryan Niblett gets blasted on a kick return and fumbles the ball, and Michigan takes advantage with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to Kendrick Bell.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Dec. 2025
Toney fumbles Malachi Toney fumbled near midfield.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
For the one who fumbles with matches Sleek, sustainable, and a satisfying way to light candles.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The premise has the potential for slapstick silliness, as an incompetent Seoul family fumbles its way through opening a hunting lodge in the Korean countryside.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
Awkward bathroom stall fumbles aside (and that’s only really a grind when in layers), a jumpsuit is such a practical must-have for any wide-ranging trip.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
McDuffie has defended 34 passes, made two interceptions and forced eight fumbles in 56 career regular-season games.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
The Chiefs lost just three fumbles a year ago and that tied for the fewest in the NFL.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
During four seasons with the Chiefs, McDuffie forced eight fumbles, three interceptions and broke up 34 passes.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Sports fans may forgive interceptions and fumbles.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
New England quarterback Drake Maye had seven fumbles in the postseason and lost four.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Ware, Dallas’ franchise leader in sacks, forced fumbles and tackles for loss, spent nine seasons with the Cowboys, earning seven Pro Bowl nods and four All-Pro selections.
—José Sánchez Córdova, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Darnold threw the most interceptions in the NFL when under pressure this season and had a dozen fumbles.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
Sonny feels like a departure; unlike Bernthal’s mercenaries, Sonny fumbles with his gun, has a bleeding heart, and lays his vulnerabilities bare.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Feb. 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
Dante Moore fumbles and loses 11 yards, knocking Oregon out of field goal range and forcing them to punt after the interception.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
Texas kick returner Ryan Niblett gets blasted on a kick return and fumbles the ball, and Michigan takes advantage with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to Kendrick Bell.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Dec. 2025
Toney fumbles Malachi Toney fumbled near midfield.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
For the one who fumbles with matches Sleek, sustainable, and a satisfying way to light candles.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The premise has the potential for slapstick silliness, as an incompetent Seoul family fumbles its way through opening a hunting lodge in the Korean countryside.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumbles
Noun
-
Last week, Bay Hill punished mistakes with force.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
However, before planting your favorite blooms in these vessels, there are a few common mistakes to be aware of.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The action Both teams traded blows early in the action, with the Cardinals jumping out to an early lead following a 10-0 spurt – familiar from last Saturday’s matchup.—
Hunter Bailey,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
-
If Ebikitie blows his market away, Dre'Mont Jones offers a perfect fallback option.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
-
In 1972, Hannes (Enzo Brumm), a gangly farm boy adrift in a hedonistic haze of hormones and counterculture, stumbles upon a revelation through his contact with a love interest’s geranium.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The woman continues to scream as Jones stumbles in the street and Charles asks him multiple more times to drop the knife.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Noem’s dissmissal comes after she was berated by lawmakers on Capitol Hill over a series of disastrous blunders by her department, including the killings of two American citizens by border patrol agents in Minneapolis and apparent attempts by DHS to stifle investigations into the shootings.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
-
While the Raptors have still been good in clutch situations — when the scoring margin is within five in the final five minutes of a game — that sample has included some notable blunders.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
Verb
-
But DuBois has written a usefully ambivalent book, one that looks for a way to reconcile younger writers’ criticisms of Stanton with her own loyalty to the early women’s-rights activists.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Today, moviegoing looks far less central to American life.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That's honestly great news for tailors and anyone who regularly trips over their own feet.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Greg trips in the middle of class and uses another student’s breasts to break his fall.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumbles. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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