as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
you've mangled this so badly that we'll have to do it over
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mangle
The girl’s features rearrange and for a split second her whole face looks mangled.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
When laundering mittens or gloves in the washing machine, use a protective mesh bag to keep these small items from getting lost or mangled in the wash.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
The attack had left one of his legs mangled and necrotic, with the bone badly exposed.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Before the fundraising event, Chance tried his best to mangle duck and Lamb Chop chew toys, and peed on some bricks in front of Vonn’s home.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mangle
Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
When laundering mittens or gloves in the washing machine, use a protective mesh bag to keep these small items from getting lost or mangled in the wash.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
The attack had left one of his legs mangled and necrotic, with the bone badly exposed.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Before the fundraising event, Chance tried his best to mangle duck and Lamb Chop chew toys, and peed on some bricks in front of Vonn’s home.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mangle
Verb
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Beauty products have taken over my sink, leaving me fumbling for my go-to face washes and serums every morning and night.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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The Steelers failed to capitalize on the miscues from a jittery Stroud, who fumbled twice and threw a pick deep in Pittsburgh territory.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But aerospace engineers at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have discovered a material that blows those two out of the water with nearly thrice the thermal conductivity.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The shuttle just suddenly blew apart.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As Ars Technica reports, space startup Vast has opted to build a smaller and more feasible interim station, dubbed Haven-1, which will serve as the precursor for much larger outposts capable of continuous habitation in the more distant future.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
22 Jan. 2026
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The spa During my stay, Splendido had a partnership with Dior to create a pop-up spa experience dubbed Jardin des Rêves Dior, featuring two spa cabanas situated in the gardens.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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This will either change your life or ruin you.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Officials have renewed their search for an inspector general candidate after the city botched the process last year.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Since the company first started lifting the satellites to space in 2019, streaks of light have botched countless observations.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Because, like other market animals, even the plush, adorable bovine winners end up butchered and sent to supermarkets.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
21 Jan. 2026
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Now sixty-five, Petro is a survivor of a brutal era in which the Colombian state assassinated leftist leaders and butchered their followers, in an effort to quell the country’s Marxist guerrilla forces.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And the quarterback position heading into the 2025 campaign was bungled, particularly considering the 14-win season Minnesota experienced in 2024 and the quality of the roster outside of the most important position this fall.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
17 Jan. 2026
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The last time the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement resulted in the 2012 debacle with replacement referees, where multiple late-game decisions were bungled due to the inexperience of the substitutes.—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But the Red Sox destroyed and ended their relationship with their only true power hitter and proven winner for a player who, though an undeniably excellent addition, was here for 117 total games.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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In the Pacific Palisades and nearby Malibu, flames burned for 31 days, scorching 37 square miles and destroying more than 6,000 structures, most of them homes.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mangle. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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