1
as in to stumble
to make a mistake
everything is riding on this project, so we can't afford to louse up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
I loused up the wallpapering job in the bedroom—the seams show too much
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of louse up
Which is to say that America’s most prominent vaccine skeptic could have the power to upend, derail, or otherwise louse up a cornerstone of public health.
—
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
Conversely, one of the easiest ways to louse up a team on draft day is to load up a team with players who aren’t going to produce at a level commensurate with when they were drafted.
—Gary Davenport, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
Conversely, one of the easiest ways to louse up a team on draft day is to load up a team with players who aren’t going to produce at a level commensurate with when they were drafted.
—Gary Davenport, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for louse up
Verb
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Symptoms include shivering, memory loss, stumbling, confusion and sleepiness.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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But the Mets’ rotation stumbled in the second half of June and into the All-Star break.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Verb
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But then Superman lost flight and Warners fumbled the lucrative Reeve franchise greatly.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
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Ferguson couldn't find the end zone once, and even fumbled the ball four times, after preventing fumbles entirely during his first two seasons in the league.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Verb
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With no direct service, plane trips back to the U.S. can take upwards of 19 hours.—
William P. Barrett,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
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Filmmakers clearly constructed all these scenes, a fact that neither trips our ethical wires nor stops our biological reactions.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 July 2025
Verb
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Kaus was setting up the umbrella when a gust of wind blew her off a lifeguard stand, dropping her on the point end of the 1-inch metal pole, NJ.com reported.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
21 July 2025
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In the marquee Challenger matchup of the weekend, a rematch of the Mid-Season final, Las Vegas blew the doors off of Nashville.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Verb
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A week ago, the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry slipped up from the coast of Mexico, drawing moisture from the Gulf, then collided with another system and inundated rivers and creeks in hilly south central Texas.—
Jennifer Berry Hawes,
ProPublica,
11 July 2025
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Bayern slipped up with a 1-1 draw against Valerenga in week four to make Arsenal’s task a little easier.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Democrats are facing pressure to fight Trump, Republicans are cutting spending with the rescissions package, and somehow Congress always finds a way to screw up the regular spending bill process.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 July 2025
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Now the most popular thing on this carnival ride is the Home Run Derby, which isn’t baseball, but a show of strength — and to me, a clown show with juiced baseballs. Tatis wisely chose to skip this Derby, which has been known to screw up swings.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Some adults agreed, but others made comments about me ruining the mood.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
20 July 2025
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Nothing ruins the vibe of a beautiful backyard faster than dull, discolored patio furniture that’s more of an eyesore than an inviting lounge spot.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 July 2025
Verb
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Year-long court battles have been waged over exactly how clean the water in the Everglades has to be without fouling up the whole system.—
Alex Harris
July 3,
Miami Herald,
3 July 2025
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His idea is included in the tweet below: By adopting this policy, the league would immediately change the calculations that come with fouling up three.—
Mat Issa,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Louse up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/louse%20up. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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