1
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
clearly, there's been some sort of screwup about what time we were supposed to meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
you've totally screwed up the spreadsheet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of screwup
Andrew Bernard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Travis is a well-meaning screwup who comes from a family of cops but can’t get a place on the police force.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
In a world of near-constant conference realignment and the transfer portal, the annual Red River Rivalry game at the State Fair of Texas is one of the few things the sport hasn’t screwed up.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
Vince is the screwup, a mostly-former drug and gambling addict, while Jake is a successful restaurateur, running the eponymous club/restaurant Black Rabbit in Manhattan.
—Andrew Bernard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Travis is a well-meaning screwup who comes from a family of cops but can’t get a place on the police force.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
Managers can either screw up or screw up slightly less than the other guy.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
In a world of near-constant conference realignment and the transfer portal, the annual Red River Rivalry game at the State Fair of Texas is one of the few things the sport hasn’t screwed up.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
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Cole Caufield served notice that Team USA made a grave mistake leaving him off the Olympic team, but Morgan Geekie’s deuce trumped the brilliant Montreal Canadiens forward’s hat trick in the Bruins’ thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 win at TD Garden on Saturday night.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
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The other side of that coin is that the lengthy language might make mistakes and open the door to interpretations that undercut the law.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If unavailable, ask your butcher to thinly slice it for you.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Brandon Boys, the Richton Park director of economic development, said Friday residents seem most excited to see the offerings at the butcher counter as well as the store’s full-service offerings in the produce and deli sections.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
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The blunder in the Supreme Court of Victoria state is another in a litany of mishaps AI has caused in justice systems around the world.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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That was indicative of how Buffalo’s blunders proved costly.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The same officer shoves Pretti in his chest, leading Pretti and the other protester to stumble backward.—
Hannah Fingerhut,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Dutcher and his staff might have stumbled on something.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 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
Noun
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Allowing Russia or China to dictate the terms of Arctic commerce would be a strategic error with lasting consequences.—
Paul McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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When teams have not been rigorously tested in realistic, high-pressure environments, automation can become a force multiplier for errors.—
James Hadley,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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