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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of screwup
Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
The screwup was first discovered by John Fasana, a former Duarte city councilmember who sits on the county’s governance reform task force, which is tasked with implementing the government overhaul.
—Rebecca Ellis
follow, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Best of all though is Reeves, channeling his own 1989 comic past from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure or a bit of Todd Higgins from Parenthood to bring deadpan delight as the well-meaning but constantly screwing up angel trying to do good but being so bad at it.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
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
The screwup was first discovered by John Fasana, a former Duarte city councilmember who sits on the county’s governance reform task force, which is tasked with implementing the government overhaul.
—Rebecca Ellis
follow, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Verb
Crosby can’t afford to screw up his endgame in Pittsburgh because losing a perfect game with two outs in the ninth wouldn’t be right, not for a man of his character.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Best of all though is Reeves, channeling his own 1989 comic past from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure or a bit of Todd Higgins from Parenthood to bring deadpan delight as the well-meaning but constantly screwing up angel trying to do good but being so bad at it.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
-
The 49ers also made a big mistake in fielding just 10 players on the very play on which Warner was injured.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Conservative activists have spent the past forty-six years arguing that this was a terrible mistake.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Owner Konstantinos Karakasilis, who once ran his own butcher shop, hand-selects every cut, relying on relationships built over 30 years.—
Katherine Whittaker,
Saveur,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Ask the butcher for lean cuts and choose meats with less marbling.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Coming off an open week, the Cardinal (2-4, 1-2) forced a three-and-out on defense to start the game, but Liam Thorpe fumbled the ensuing punt return to give possession back to the Mustangs (4-2, 2-0).—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The Razorbacks fumbled 4 times and lost 3, including 2 in Tennessee territory.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But then a ref blew the whistle as the buzzer sounded, giving Duke two meaningless free throws while up by four.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The two shared a playful moment, dancing together before Charli slipped her sunglasses onto Role Model’s face, blew him a kiss, and made her exit.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Base running blunder The Tigers had a great chance to put together a big inning in the second, after Trey Sweeney hit a sacrifice fly, knocking in a run.—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
That blunder came one series after Slayton had a brutal drop on a 50-yard bomb from Dart that would have put the ball inside the Saints’ 20-yard line.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This summer, a Florida man stumbled on a wrecked vessel while fishing with his grandson – possibly a 19th-century ship designed to carry rum.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
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One day while in City Bowl, a residential neighborhood in Cape Town, Kienle Gonzalez stumbled across a 1920s Arts and Crafts home at the foot of the mountainside.—
Sophia Herring,
Architectural Digest,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Or pursue the rancid criminal element across the galaxy as a bounty hunter, making your fortune by ruining bad guys' lives.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Nothing ruins a trip faster than your suitcase not showing up at baggage claim, right?—
Emily Belfiore,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The cause of the labeling error is reportedly under investigation.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
9 Oct. 2025
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His error on Andrés Giménez’s one-out grounder in the seventh inning with a runner on first base was a major blow.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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