SCREWING UP Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

screwing up

verb

present participle of screw up

as in fumbling

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in blowing

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

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 screwing up New York landing Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker — who has emerged as the draft’s top quarterback prospect — would be a painful blow to Miami, though the Jets have a long tradition of screwing up young QBs. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 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 The fear of failure can do as much harm as actually screwing up. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 Myers nails the realistic teen who is a far cry from the unflappable Nancy Drew, screwing up plenty and often terrified of what she's gotten herself into. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 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 May 2026 These days, revivals that just manage to come and go without screwing up are seen as, if not a success, than an acceptable effort. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026 Right now, Iranians are blaming, appropriately, the regime for screwing up the country. — CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026 Tim overcame his fear of screwing up again and asked Lucy to move in. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwing up

Verb

After fumbling the opening kickoff to set up a Panthers field goal and going three-and-out on their first series, the Packers (5-3) scored touchdowns on three of their next four possessions to take command.

— Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
After fumbling twice in Michigan State territory, halting offensive momentum, the Bruins were trailing going into the second quarter and tied 7-7 with three minutes left in the second quarter.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of fumbling

Verb

The professional and business services sector, as the agency classifies it, gained 70,000 jobs, blowing past its average monthly gain of 15,000 over the past year.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2026
Electric fireplaces produce heat by blowing air over heated coils or with infrared light and can be used with or without the heating function engaged.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of blowing

Verb

Arsenal are firmly in title-chasing mode and goal difference could still prove crucial, despite Manchester City slipping up against Everton on Monday.

— Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 7 May 2026
But knowing Olson’s proclivity for slipping up in hysterical fashion made the match that much more appealing.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 May 2026

Definition of slipping up

Verb

But life has a way of mucking up even the best plans, sometimes all at once and sometimes bit by bit and usually a little of both.

— Brian Grubb, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Amid the memory shortage that's mucking up component prices globally, at least Qualcomm has some promising news for folks hoping to pay less for a daily driver.

— Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 7 May 2026

Definition of mucking up

Verb

After stumbling into an intro to acting class, the 28-year-old quickly caught the professor’s attention.

— Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2026
The Chargers are the NFL’s only remaining winless team, stumbling to an 0-6 start for the first time since 2000.

— Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumbling

Verb

Without adequate calf muscle strength, the calf muscles can fatigue quickly, leading to foot dragging or tripping.

— Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 30 Oct. 2026
In overtime, the Golden Knights quickly took advantage of a tripping penalty on Kings center Scott Laughton.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of tripping

Browse Nearby Words

screwing around

screwing up

screwlike

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Screwing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwing%20up. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of screwing up

verb

Example Sentences

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