goofed (up)

verb

past tense of goof (up)
1
as in fumbled
to make a mistake we must have goofed up somewhere, because this cake clearly didn't turn out right

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in buggered (up)
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 goofed (up)
  1. fumbled
  2. blew
  3. stumbled
  4. screwed up
  5. tripped
  6. dubbed
  7. slipped up
Verb
  • After Duran took third on a fly ball, pinch-hitter Joc Pederson hit a ground ball up the middle that was fumbled by Taylor Walls, allowing Duran to score.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • Chad Powers season 2 sees the actor reprise his role as Russ Holliday, a former star college quarterback who fumbled his promising career after a humiliating championship-game meltdown.
    — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026
Definition of fumbled
Verb
  • Moss paused to watch, as an oak catkin blew down and nestled in his hair.
    — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • On a recent summer day, loud air conditioners blew cool air as nurses drew blood and tended wounds, calling to mind the makeshift spaces used during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of blew
Verb
  • Fresh from lifting the FIFA Club World Cup and buoyed by optimism around Enzo Maresca’s project, the Blues stumbled to a disappointing 10th-place Premier League finish.
    — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • The Curiosity rover stumbled on the polygon field while ascending the foothills of a three-mile-high mountain called Mount Sharp, where it’s been roaming since 2014.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 July 2026
Definition of stumbled
Verb
  • But four years ago, Sorsby screwed up in a massive way.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
  • The two screwed up a top-rope stunner as Excalibur struggled to explain what happened like a 2026 Jim Ross.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Definition of screwed up
Verb
  • Brooks, who is recovering from back-to-back ACL injuries, took a kick return rep midway through practice and seemingly tripped with his momentum taking him head-first into rookie linebacker Jackson Kuwatch’s ankles.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2026
  • The footage alone cannot tell us whether the robot tripped or lost balance.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of tripped
Verb
  • The demand for more from the franchise prompted the animation adaptation, dubbed and subtitled in eight languages, on Crunchyroll.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The move to use electronic strips is part of what’s dubbed the Terminal Flight Data Manager, an air traffic control tower initiative to improve management and efficiency, led by the Department of Transportation.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of dubbed
Verb
  • The Iberians slipped up big time in their first match of the tournament, being shocked by Switzerland 1-0, bringing back ghosts of tournament failures past for Spanish fans.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Had Pep Guardiola’s side slipped up at a subdued Etihad, then Arsenal and Mikel Arteta could have won the title with victory over Burnley on Monday.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Definition of slipped up
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.

Browse Nearby Words

goofed on
goofed (up)
go off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Goofed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goofed%20%28up%29. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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