botch

1 of 3

verb

ˈbäch 

botched; botching; botches

transitive verb

1

: to foul up hopelessly

—often used with up

2

: to put together in a makeshift way

botcher noun

botch

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

: something that is botched : mess

2

: patchwork, hodgepodge

botchy

ˈbä-chē 

adjective

botch

3 of 3

noun (2)

: an inflammatory sore

Synonyms

Verb

• blow
• bobble
• boggle
• bollix (up)
• boot
• bugger (up)
• bumble
• bungle
• butcher
• dub
• flub
• fluff
• foozle
• foul up
• fumble
• goof (up)
• louse up
• mangle
• mess (up)
• muck up
• muff
• murder
• screw up

Noun (1)

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

Examples of botch in a Sentence

Verb

The store botched the order—I received only half the books I paid for.

They clearly botched the investigation.

Noun (1)

this police procedural is basically a botch of plot elements stolen from other (and better) novels

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Debra Blum received a $125,000 settlement from a lawyer who botched her personal physical injury suit. —Robert W. Wood, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Lost during last week’s inquisition into the Hail Mary and botched fullback dive was a careful examination of more macro issues the Bears are dealing with. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024

Noun

But what people would remember, far more than the Mets’ achievement, was Buckner’s botch. —Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2024

If Tonga Loa is trusted again to play a significant role in this feud after a few high-profile botches, yet another member of the Samoan Dynasty could be called upon to even the odds. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bocchen

Noun (2)

Middle English boche, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *bottia boss

First Known Use

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing botch

• botch-up
• make a botch of

Kids Definition

botch

1 of 2 verb

ˈbäch 

: to make or do something in a clumsy or unskillful way : spoil, bungle

botch

2 of 2 noun

: a botched job : mess

botchy

-ē

adjective

Medical Definition

botch

noun

ˈbäch 

: an inflammatory sore