as in to buzz
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep
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1
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
accused the White House staff of bumbling the announcement of the replacement for the cabinet post
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2
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end
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3
as in to chat
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly
overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bumble
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2025
What begins as a harmless joke evolves into a chaotic adventure, drawing in a cast of misfit characters, including gangsters and bumbling police officers.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025
The misstep and bumbled efforts to correct it, which left many unable to work their speakers, infuriated the brand’s loyal customers and took a toll on the company’s bottom line.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
After bumbling around for a while, having some trouble with guards, and befriending a huge alien that many would've expected to be a giant monster at first, the path to the lair is revealed inside an underground section of the spa.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bumble
Verb
Every time the film comes close to lampooning Olmo and Miguel’s bumbling attempts to fit in, Eimbcke implicitly asks for our empathy by forcing us to recall how the things that were monumentally important to us at 14 now seem lame in hindsight.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2025
What begins as a harmless joke evolves into a chaotic adventure, drawing in a cast of misfit characters, including gangsters and bumbling police officers.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025
The misstep and bumbled efforts to correct it, which left many unable to work their speakers, infuriated the brand’s loyal customers and took a toll on the company’s bottom line.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
After bumbling around for a while, having some trouble with guards, and befriending a huge alien that many would've expected to be a giant monster at first, the path to the lair is revealed inside an underground section of the spa.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bumble
Cite this Entry
“Bumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumble. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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