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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Recent Examples of bumble
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
The opening line has been bet down a point, owing to all the Lions’ injuries at all three defensive levels as well as recency bias from Thanksgiving when the Bears bumbled their way out of a potential upset in Motown and the Packers whomped the Dolphins.
—Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 5 Dec. 2024
In vacant houses—which are plentiful in resort communities like Tahoe—bears turn on faucets and burners, usually by bumbling into them.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
The arrival of Ming and Grace and the demands of running a 24-hour business show Yuen as someone who may not use many words, sometimes bumbling his way around as a father, but whose love for his family is deep and true.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bumble 
Verb
However, as the volatile gangster, the caregiver and bumbling daddy’s boy begin to plot and scheme, things don’t exactly go according to plan.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
The opening line has been bet down a point, owing to all the Lions’ injuries at all three defensive levels as well as recency bias from Thanksgiving when the Bears bumbled their way out of a potential upset in Motown and the Packers whomped the Dolphins.
—Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 5 Dec. 2024
In vacant houses—which are plentiful in resort communities like Tahoe—bears turn on faucets and burners, usually by bumbling into them.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
The arrival of Ming and Grace and the demands of running a 24-hour business show Yuen as someone who may not use many words, sometimes bumbling his way around as a father, but whose love for his family is deep and true.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bumble
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Cite this Entry
“Bumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumble. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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