1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
we must have goofed up somewhere, because this cake clearly didn't turn out right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
he goofed up his first sale at the dealership
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goof (up)
Verb
-
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.
-
With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
Verb
-
Finally, during penalties, Paraguay was up 3-2 and needed to make only one more kick before missing its last two, nearly blowing the match.
-
The sobering reality, however, is that this is a 35-48 team that already has been blown too far off course.
Verb
-
Mysterio tripped Page onto the second rope, but Page cut off Rey Mysterio with a big boot as Rey attempted a 619.
-
Neural pathways controlling core bodily functions — feeling in the limbs, movement and breathing — were collapsing one by one, like circuit breakers tripping in rapid succession.
Verb
-
But four years ago, Sorsby screwed up in a massive way.
-
The two screwed up a top-rope stunner as Excalibur struggled to explain what happened like a 2026 Jim Ross.
Verb
-
Scientists have stumbled on a rare dinosaur fossil from Antarctica, tucked away for decades in a drawer.
-
However, Portugal stumbled in its opening match, managing only a 1–1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
-
After all, plenty of cocktail enthusiasts already complain about mosquitoes ruining a summer evening.
Verb
-
Also, there is precedent for an early slip up or two not meaning much in recent big tournaments.
-
Detroit did slip up in Game 5 at Little Caesars Arena, although Detroit blew a 60-52 halftime lead in that contest.
Verb
-
In the end, though, neither an explosion nor a giant spill of fluid that could foul up waterways and the ocean occurred.
-
An incorrect connection or approach can foul up a line, damage a plane or cause an accident.
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.
Cite this Entry
“Goof (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goof%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
