as in blunder
somewhat informal
a problem that makes a situation difficult or confusing
A major scheduling snafu led to two meetings starting at the same time.
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Recent Examples of snafu
The room sighs in relief a second later when Buckley reanimates, jerking and flailing like a soul possessed, grinning maniacally — all on purpose, inspired by the earlier veil snafu.
—
Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
That’s the best way to avoid any snafus.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
But it was widely believed inside the news division that Weiss’ move was a major snafu that reflected her lack of experience as a TV news executive and awareness of the fishbowl nature of an industry where every action is scrutinized.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
While mistakes are rare across the royal family's social media channels, snafus still happen.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for snafu
Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
That’s the best way to avoid any snafus.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
But it was widely believed inside the news division that Weiss’ move was a major snafu that reflected her lack of experience as a TV news executive and awareness of the fishbowl nature of an industry where every action is scrutinized.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
While mistakes are rare across the royal family's social media channels, snafus still happen.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for snafu
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snafu
Noun
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Noem’s dissmissal comes after she was berated by lawmakers on Capitol Hill over a series of disastrous blunders by her department, including the killings of two American citizens by border patrol agents in Minneapolis and apparent attempts by DHS to stifle investigations into the shootings.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
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The infielder was mocked on social media after a head-scratching baserunning blunder against his former team, the Miami Marlins, in August.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The back line — still reeling from the departure of center back Adilson Malanda this offseason — shored up its mistakes and stood tall.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
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The third mistake involves process.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the Oakland days, there was less margin for error.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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For seasoned pickleball players, finding the best paddle for competitive play may require a series of trial-and-error attempts, but a little education about paddle types can also go a long way.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Snafu.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snafu. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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