screws up

verb

present tense third-person singular of screw up
1
as in fumbles
to make a mistake we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in blows
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 screws up But what really screws up Julia are the deliveries. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026 Kyle tries to jump up the wall, lands awkwardly, and screws up his ankle. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026 Ego screws up most of the things in this life. — Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screws up
  1. fumbles
  2. blows
  3. stumbles
  4. murders
  5. trips
  6. boots
  7. slips up
  8. dubs
Verb
  • Sims catches a hitch and turns up field but fumbles the ball while switching hands.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Tensions between the galley and the interior continue to escalate over lunch service, when a radio mishap fumbles the order in which the food should go out.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 May 2026
Definition of fumbles
Verb
  • But Mistral, which takes its name from a strong wind that blows from southern France, certainly has the wind at its back.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Grucci fireworks are stored in cement-block structures in rural Virginia—well spaced, in case one blows.
    — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of blows
Verb
  • Drunken dragonrider Ulf the White's rage proves pivotal Debaucherous dragonrider Ulf White (Tom Bennett) stumbles into playing a major role in the final battle with his dragon Silverwing.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Bartels and Howe pitched the movie as a love letter focusing on a single summer about a kid who stumbles into a restaurant and finds his calling.
    — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stumbles
Verb
  • To get even with Kanan, Juke murders Raq, her surrogate mother.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Moriarty has reported on the yogurt shop murders for over 30 years.
    — Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Definition of murders
Verb
  • An agent holding valid credentials, performing thousands of plausible-looking actions across four days, trips neither alarm.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Bathroom trips while filming The Odyssey were an odyssey in itself for John Leguizamo.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
Definition of trips
Verb
  • Olise always takes it and boots the ball straight out of play.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Dominic Zvada boots a 31-yard field goal to give the Wolverines the lead.
    — Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Dec. 2025
Definition of boots
Verb
  • At Baku, however, the car looks to be a podium contender, potentially fighting for the win if McLaren slips up.
    — Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Along the way Texas needs to hope Seattle slips up, or else that final weekend in Cleveland could wind up being meaningless.
    — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of slips up
Verb
  • Southern regional language dubs in Telugu and Tamil added further momentum across key circuits.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • That is, unless you’re motivated to pay individual device prices for a business-specific model (which Microsoft dubs Surface Laptop or Pro for Business).
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
Definition of dubs

Browse Nearby Words

screws around
screws up
screwup
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Screws up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screws%20up. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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