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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
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 Feb. 2026
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
That might be kind of screwed up.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
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 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
-
However, this approach is a mistake.—
Kat Tretina,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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But fans, players and teams have grown less patient with mistakes that technology can easily fix.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Buchsbaum described a mid-20th-century American Jewish landscape in which nearly every community had kosher butchers and caterers because even many non-Orthodox families expected bar mitzvahs, weddings and other celebrations to be kosher.—
Asaf Elia-Shalev,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
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The murder weapon, a butcher knife, was found at the scene.—
Annalise Peterson,
NBC news,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As the years went by, judges complained that the city’s in-house lawyers had fumbled key casework.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Nothing erodes confidence faster than fumbling for lockboxes, waiting on unresponsive listing agents, or showing a space that clearly doesn’t fit.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Pockets of blowing dust are likely.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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The statement ended there, though, as the Hornets blew a 15-point lead on the front end of the back-to-back against the 76ers and then got blown out on the back end by the shorthanded Celtics.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Over the years across Illinois, there has been a litany of agency miscues, blunders and downright neglect, including several in Lake County.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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The sufferings caused by a statesman’s blunders are larger than the benefits produced by his accomplishments.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans stumbled off the mound in the first inning of Friday evening’s season opener at Truist Park.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
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Bleeding heavily, Waaler stumbles into a corridor and slowly takes his last breath as Hole, who jumped out at the floor above and ran back downstairs, watches, gun in hand.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
29 Mar. 2026
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Accused of ruining baseball with their big-spending ways the past two years, the noise has only gotten louder as a labor showdown looms.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Wait times are based on data reported by users and are not exact or error-free.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the Barons got the final out on a base running error by the Sea Kings.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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