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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in butcher
someone who bungles an effort
don't ask the office screwup to arrange the holiday party
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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 screwup
Steph Yang, The Athletic, 25 July 2024
And considering the premature appearance on the website (and now these images), that might happen sooner than later as Sonos looks to get back on track after a colossal screwup.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 17 Sep. 2024
Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2025
The Gordons have been left deeply screwed up by their deceased father — not just callous and clueless like all the ultra-rich, but unable to maintain healthy relationships with either partners or one another.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
No room for screwups, especially while the team was fighting for equal pay and better treatment from U.S. Soccer.
—Steph Yang, The Athletic, 25 July 2024
And considering the premature appearance on the website (and now these images), that might happen sooner than later as Sonos looks to get back on track after a colossal screwup.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 17 Sep. 2024
Verb
Instead, this was the message sent: Booth screwed up by signing Dario Saric and gave up too many picks to shed Reggie Jackson’s contract.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2025
The Gordons have been left deeply screwed up by their deceased father — not just callous and clueless like all the ultra-rich, but unable to maintain healthy relationships with either partners or one another.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
-
Justice Department lawyers contend FBI agents acted in good faith despite the mistake and shouldn't be second-guessed by the courts.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Many twenty-year veterans still make rookie mistakes while quick-learning newcomers can rapidly surpass them in both skills and results.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Yes, ancient human butchers wielding stone tools would leave marks on bone.—
Briana Pobiner,
The Conversation,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The meat and sausages come from the nearby butcher, and the cheese is from the type of local dairy that brags about its cows’ diet of pasture grasses and hay.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Later in the first period, Theodore fumbled the puck into the skates of his teammate, Hertl, on their way out of the defensive zone, and Foligno added to Minnesota’s lead.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Every moment spent fumbling with gear in those temperatures came at a cost—to fingers, batteries, and hard drives alike.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
However, the impending free agent had an 11.25 ERA, two losses and one blown save over 10 games entering Monday.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Vindman and his twin brother, Alex, both blew the whistle on Trump’s attempt to withhold military aid to Ukraine while pressuring the country’s leader to investigate the family of President Joe Biden.—
Andy Kroll,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
But the team with the biggest quarterback blunder from 2018 was the Arizona Cardinals, who made the decision to trade up to the No. 10 pick to take Josh Rosen.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
This week’s White House Report Card could have been a bad one, considering court rulings against President Donald Trump, staffing blunders, and a lack of movement on his tariff war that is starting to scare his supporters.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
How did the world’s two largest economies stumble toward a trade war that neither truly seeks and which the rest of the world can’t afford?—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Eleni wasn't the only one who stumbled across the sale.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2025
-
There is nothing that can ruin trying to sleep through a redeye like the sunrise hitting your face.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Graham Pauley singled and advanced to third when a fielder’s choice turned into a throwing error on Bohm.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Kyren Paris reached on an error by Matt Chapman at third, with Chapman cutting in front of Adames with the ball bounding into the outfield to bring Neto home with the second run.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share