1
as in blowing
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in groping
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 stumbling
to make a mistake
just when it looked like he was going to get away with the ruse, he fumbled
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in uncomfortable
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumbling
Adjective
-
Removing 55 books the governor’s political party is uncomfortable with is not ethical or legal.—
Robert Kesten,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Aug. 2025 -
For some, the action echoes uncomfortable historical chapters when politicians used language to paint predominantly Black cities with racist narratives to shape public opinion and justify police action.—
John Seewer,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In doing so, their press suffered, looking disjointed.—
Charlotte Harpur,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Brian Cashman, though, is still looking at every option on the table.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Don't Use An Extension Cord In general, extension cords aren't a great idea because of the tripping hazard and the potential for overheating.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Jan. 2025
-
For older people with weaker bones, tripping while walking can sometimes cause a fracture.—
Maggie Aime, MSN,
Health,
25 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
No diffusers here–the tequila is made by cooking agave in ovens, fermenting in wooden vats, and distilling on copper pot stills, all without the use of additives.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
16 Aug. 2025
-
This combination of a plush velvet material mixed with the wooden base allows the bench to function in a variety of homes, including those with modern, rustic, or French country styles.—
Rachel Trujillo,
People.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Chicago was getting freezing drizzle and then temperatures potentially reaching into the mid-to-upper 20s.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA TODAY,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Sustained powerful winds reaching nearly 100 miles per hour are driving fast-moving wildfires near Los Angeles, spewing smoke, destroying homes, closing roads, and forcing thousands of people to evacuate.—
Vox Staff,
Vox,
8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Pedrad made history as the first Iranian American castmember on Saturday Night Live, before bending age and gender to play a gawky 14-year-old Persian American boy in the coming-of-age sitcom Chad.—
Dan Bilefsky,
HollywoodReporter,
25 July 2025
-
Agnes has a gawky, floppy-haired beauty, a gently appraising stare, quizzically arching eyebrows, and a tendency to listen with her mouth half open, as if in anticipation of a punch line that will take her, and us, by surprise.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
What passes for governance is thus an ungainly patchwork of formal and informal institutions.—
Stewart Patrick,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Dec. 2013
-
The official title is technically F1®: The Movie, an ungainly, trademarked reminder of both the brand the film was made in conjunction with, and the fact that that brand is so big that this $200-300 million Hollywood production is a blip in comparison.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole at ages 18 and 21 after being convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home in 1989.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Eleven years after attorney Sarah Morgan defended her husband, Adam, against the charge of murdering his mistress, she's changed careers and started a family with a new husband, Bob Miller.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
12 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumbling. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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