as in fumbles
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
I swear, she mucks up everything she tries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mucks up
Verb
-
The premise has the potential for slapstick silliness, as an incompetent Seoul family fumbles its way through opening a hunting lodge in the Korean countryside.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025 -
As Lester fumbles for his bird whistle in the fountain to activate the camera, he gets thrown back in this tussle with Tillman and is killed.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Whatever way the wind blows, that’s the way college sports go.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Dolphins beating themselves Mike McDaniel blows a gasket after Larry Borom commits a false start and the Dolphins miss the field goal.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
What all happens that screws up everything?—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Ego screws up most of the things in this life.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There are heated confrontations and a slap, and Alma ruins her shot at tenure after stealing a colleague's prescription pad to get more pain meds.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
-
What to do in Split Split is a diverse blend of ancient and modern life, where Roman ruins stand alongside modern cafés and a bustling harbor.—
Chris Dong,
AFAR Media,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Freddy, through Jesse, antagonizes and murders a lot of men.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
31 Oct. 2025
-
He was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison, but his guilt came into question in 1982 when investigators connected the Locci and Lo Bianco murders to the 1974, 1981, and 1982 slayings.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Anoka dubs itself as the Halloween Capital of the World, hosting a monthlong celebration that draws thousands.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
THR‘s top international influencers list dubs Hague, proud owner of fashion brand Maebe, Britain’s answer to Kim Kardashian.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Mucks up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mucks%20up. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share