1
as in fumbling
to make a mistake
everything is riding on this project, so we can't afford to louse up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in screwing up
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lousing up
Verb
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Trump said, fumbling for words.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026 -
But then again, neither is the Bears fumbling and bumbling.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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First of all, don’t hide misdeeds and screwups, which comes naturally by not committing misdeeds and not screwing up.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
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Right now, Iranians are blaming, appropriately, the regime for screwing up the country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bryan’s stumbling responses, under questioning from the legendary defense lawyer Clarence Darrow, left him humiliated.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
-
Before smartphones and social media, tracking it down (or stumbling upon it) was like uncovering a local secret.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Instead, he was left with his tail between his legs and claimed that the Spurs actually dominated the series despite blowing leads in all four of their losses.—
Ryan Gaydos OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Swift was also seen at the game blowing a kiss to the camera.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Arsenal are firmly in title-chasing mode and goal difference could still prove crucial, despite Manchester City slipping up against Everton on Monday.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
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But knowing Olson’s proclivity for slipping up in hysterical fashion made the match that much more appealing.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
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
Verb
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Wallstedt was whistled for tripping on the play — the second penalty of his NHL career.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
7 Dec. 2025
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In recent years, as robots have become increasingly sophisticated, their makers have gone from kicking them to shoving them, tripping them, and even hitting them with folding chairs.—
James Vincent,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Amid the memory shortage that's mucking up component prices globally, at least Qualcomm has some promising news for folks hoping to pay less for a daily driver.—
Florence Ion,
PC Magazine,
7 May 2026
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Even when there’s a disparity in talent, Cronin has a history of inspiring grit, or strategically mucking up games to mask that deficiency.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
19 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Lousing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lousing%20up. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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