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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in butcher
someone who bungles an effort
don't ask the office screwup to arrange the holiday party
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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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of screwup
Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
His constant screwups are an expression of his karma — his need to sabotage himself and everyone around him.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
Helms, who costars alongside Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha, is the most screwed up of the bunch.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
Adults were once afraid of teens: the greasers of Rebel, the boppers of Beach Party, the stoners of Fast Times, the screwups of The Breakfast Club.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
His constant screwups are an expression of his karma — his need to sabotage himself and everyone around him.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
Now the most popular thing on this carnival ride is the Home Run Derby, which isn’t baseball, but a show of strength — and to me, a clown show with juiced baseballs.
Tatis wisely chose to skip this Derby, which has been known to screw up swings.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
Helms, who costars alongside Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha, is the most screwed up of the bunch.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
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Chisholm getting thrown out on the bases might be the most egregious of the team’s mental mistakes this season.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Development Tomorrow One of the most common mistakes in evaluating new markets is focusing solely on what’s already built.—
Mkhitar Hayrapetyan,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Developer Steven Ramos said the business would be a butcher shop, a bakery with coffee, and an ice cream counter.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
-
The market is just full of butcher shops, with the most ghastly whole pigs and halves of steers hanging from horrible hooks.—
John Updike,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Verb
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While that might seem to be a bit too optimistic for a franchise that has historically fumbled from a depth perspective, the team can’t rebuild an entire defensive depth chart in one year.—
Mike Kaye
July 14,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
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Despite being ripe for a GOP takeover, the local committee fumbled its chance to usher another Republican into office, instead focusing on its inner feuds.—
Jolene Almendarez,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
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In other words, keep up or watch your competition blow past you.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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Bednar allowed a solo homer, a double, and a pair of singles to blow the lead for the Yankees.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Its acquisitions in consumer banking were at worst blunders and at best decent deals struck in pursuit of a doomed strategy.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
21 July 2025
-
Consider how McDonald's had to end an experiment with AI drive-thru ordering due to blunders that led to customer frustration and viral videos on social media.—
Rishi Kumar,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
Verb
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Wounded, Hyman stumbled to her desk and died from her wounds, according to one of the officials who reviewed the video.—
John Miller,
CNN Money,
3 Aug. 2025
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In May, the WHS announced that a fisherman stumbled upon a historic shipwreck in Lake Michigan.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
1 Aug. 2025
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Freezing her eggs was a priority because chemotherapy could ruin her chances of fertility and natural birth.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
31 July 2025
Noun
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Without a robust knowledge foundation, these early wins can mask serious risks—from compliance breaches to costly decision errors.—
Stéphane Donzé,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
-
Pilot error caused the crash, according to a final report from the National Transportation Safety Board.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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