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
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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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of screwup
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Travis is a well-meaning screwup who comes from a family of cops but can’t get a place on the police force.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
The watershed screw up the water quality, screw up all the sediment and cobble that, make the river mouth this amazing series of waves.
—Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
In a precedent for a larger screwup later, Jess gets a mini-earful from Kerry for taking too long to update him on the chains during the anchoring process.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Travis is a well-meaning screwup who comes from a family of cops but can’t get a place on the police force.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
How do things get so screwed up?
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
The watershed screw up the water quality, screw up all the sediment and cobble that, make the river mouth this amazing series of waves.
—Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
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That’s because investors often interpret diversity crises as signs of systemic failure, rather than isolated mistakes.—
Prachi Gala,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
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Same for Dax Hill, focusing on going back to work and correcting mistakes.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Marrow in Market will produce various raw meat cuts from its full-service butcher shop and specialty items.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Burnsie's orders its meat from local butchers Rupena's Fine Foods and Roberts' Specialty Meats.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After taking an early 3-0 lead and forcing the Ravens to punt on their opening series, Tahj Washington fumbled after a catch and Baltimore’s Alohi Gilman scooped it up and returned it to Miami’s 7, setting up Jackson’s first touchdown pass to Mark Andrews.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
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In Week 2, McCarthy played poorly, throwing two interceptions and fumbling three times.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The crowd at the Rogers Centre nearly blew the roof off the place as Bichette jogged around the bases.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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That team pulled off this same trick, blowing the doors off all comers until slipping past USC.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The post 9/11 blunders in which Cheney played a part can be tied to the rise of ISIS, perennial instability in the Middle East, the migrant crisis and the crushing debt burden ($38 trillion and counting) that looms over the US economy.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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Potential adversaries interpret political action in zero-sum terms; see malice and evil design in mere blunders and coincidence; trumpet necessity rather than navigate choice; and, in extreme cases, invent pretext or promise profit to make more palatable a dubious cause.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Although the discovery has only now been formally studied, cavers from the Czech Speleological Society first stumbled upon the phenomenon in 2022 during an expedition in Vromoner Canyon.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Uber reported strong growth in its third-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, but stumbled on the bottom line after absorbing a $479 million charge for what the company described as undisclosed legal and regulatory matters.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That’s why his mistress threw in with Frank to intimidate Dale into a land deal that would have ruined any chance of Chutto’s family ever getting their land back.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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Because when those premiums go up by 100, 200%, people’s lives are ruined.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The defence remains porous, error-prone and vulnerable on corners.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The Times’ error immediately garnered write-ups in The Washington Post, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and other outlets.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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