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
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If the creditor fumbles the process, then an otherwise valid and collectible debt may be barred.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026 -
Since the first release in December, critics have accused the administration of fumbling the rollout and withholding too many documents.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Wind shear, which occurs when winds blow at different speeds and/or directions with height, acts as an impediment to fledgling tropical storms and hurricanes.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
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There's also a short clip of Cyrus onstage as Hannah with a band, blowing a kiss to a crowd as confetti falls around her.—
Mary Pat Thompson,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Authorities say Hughes tripped and fell into the street just as one of the teens was driving away.—
Jamal Goss,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
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As Wallace began driving away, Hughes tripped and fell into the road, and Wallace allegedly ran over him, according to police.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Spotting this superconducting dome is often a sign that researchers have stumbled onto the right ingredients for high-temperature superconductivity.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
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The man then tripped, stumbling to the ground.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And gun-safety groups say that anything that makes the rules more complicated and unclear could really screw up the system.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2026
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Kyle tries to jump up the wall, lands awkwardly, and screws up his ankle.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And hope the teams ahead of them slip up.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
28 Feb. 2026
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Or will someone slip up and cost them the game?—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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People suffer and the country becomes ruined.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Anti-Chafe Stick With sweaty bodies and lots of walking often comes chafing, something that can ruin a day in a theme park faster than a thunderstorm.—
Terri Peters,
Parents,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Karaban almost had a costly turnover on an inbound play with 14 seconds left, but the Huskies fouled up three and Mulready split his free throw attempts, setting up the game-clinching freebies from the Huskies’ captain.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
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These people are aiming to foul up the central database.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Goof (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goof%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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