SCREW UP Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

screwup 1 of 2

noun

ˈskrü-ˌəp

Definition of screwup

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in butcher

someone who bungles an effort don't ask the office screwup to arrange the holiday party

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screw up

2 of 2

verb

as in to fumble

to make a mistake we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it

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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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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of screwup

Noun

Even Dougie, an inveterate screwup, isn’t without hidden depths—and Anthony, a natural hype man for whoever’s around, takes his plea for emotional support seriously, quickly becoming invested in a twisty succession crisis. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026 But the screwups don’t end there. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025

Verb

That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 So not screwing up Spider-Man is about putting a beating heart at the center rather than a bunch of spectacle. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for screwup

Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup

Noun

Still, when an account suddenly asks you to spend money or connect something valuable, a few extra checks can save you from a painful mistake.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
And on Sunday — despite driving with an impressive desperation (that included a heated Stage 2 exchange with his crew chief over the radio) — a few mistakes followed him.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of mistake

Noun

Add Preferred Source The 79-cent price is a nod to 1979, when Perry’s got its start as a small Houston butcher shop before growing into a steakhouse chain with locations across Texas and several other states.

— Claire Goodman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2026
The kitchen is run by Chef Chris Snider, a graduate of Stoic and Genuine and Rioja who started at the butcher shop several months before the restaurant opened.

— Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of butcher

Verb

Specifically, Nico Iamaleava struggled, fumbling once and throwing interceptions to Oregon’s Koi Perich and Jerry Mixon.

— Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Irving scored his second touchdown of the game to further the Bucs’ lead, and Prescott wouldn’t even get the ball back after KaVontae Turpin fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which Tampa Bay recovered.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of fumble

Verb

This inspires Other Mommy to gruesomely kill Frank in front of Bela, including blowing his head up in an outrageous explosion of blood.

— William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
In Chicago, the city is on track to blow past the $252 million spent last year to resolve police lawsuits, mostly involving plaintiffs who went to prison based on faulty evidence, according to local news reports.

— Sean Greene, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of blow

Noun

The slip didn’t go unnoticed by Mikey Day’s Lorax, who later worked the blunder into the sketch.

— Anna Tingley, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
In the seventh inning of a 1-all tie, Teoscar Hernández redeemed himself for another fielding blunder with a single that finally drove dizzying Braves starter Tyler Mahle from the game.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of blunder

Verb

On Monday, workers hauled out a 200-pound piece of equipment that was ruined by the saltwater and sand carried in on the high tides.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
So our goal is to learn how to maximize AI budgets, not ration them and ruin productivity gains.

— Konstantin Klyagin, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruin

Browse Nearby Words

screws up

screwup

screw up

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of screwup

noun

verb

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