as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
I swear, she mucks up everything she tries
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Recent Examples of muck up
Well, the first and third mucked up their stories with some overly contrived lore about cults and gods, and the fourth was an experiment for the formula that didn’t quite work.
—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
At least not Will Welch, GQ’s longstanding editor-in-chief and global editorial director, who was absolutely zen about the threat of an atmospheric river mucking up the mag’s Men of the Year celebration last night.
—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Nov. 2025
Lawmakers need to get back to Washington to end the government shutdown - a shutdown that has mucked up travel plans around the country by contributing to widespread flight delays.
—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
While the Governor's Cup may be safe, there are other ways the ACC's and SEC's scheduling moves could muck up Louisville's future football schedules.
—
Payton Titus,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muck up
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
At least not Will Welch, GQ’s longstanding editor-in-chief and global editorial director, who was absolutely zen about the threat of an atmospheric river mucking up the mag’s Men of the Year celebration last night.
—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Nov. 2025
Lawmakers need to get back to Washington to end the government shutdown - a shutdown that has mucked up travel plans around the country by contributing to widespread flight delays.
—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
While the Governor's Cup may be safe, there are other ways the ACC's and SEC's scheduling moves could muck up Louisville's future football schedules.
—
Payton Titus,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muck up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muck up
Verb
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But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.
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With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
Verb
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Finally, during penalties, Paraguay was up 3-2 and needed to make only one more kick before missing its last two, nearly blowing the match.
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The sobering reality, however, is that this is a 35-48 team that already has been blown too far off course.
Verb
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But four years ago, Sorsby screwed up in a massive way.
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The two screwed up a top-rope stunner as Excalibur struggled to explain what happened like a 2026 Jim Ross.
Verb
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In the end, though, neither an explosion nor a giant spill of fluid that could foul up waterways and the ocean occurred.
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An incorrect connection or approach can foul up a line, damage a plane or cause an accident.
Verb
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Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
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Explosions had all but ruined my hearing.
Verb
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Both Marlon and his brother Shawn were booted from the franchise after Scary Movie 2 by their producers, the Weinsteins.
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Keyser’s exit follows that of Vasana Montgomery, who was booted off the show for the same reason before Season 8 even premiered.
Cite this Entry
“Muck up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muck%20up. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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