as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
bungled the job the first time she tried to do it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bungle
K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
The accusation is that the administration bungled by not believing that Iran would follow through on its threats.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bungle
Verb
And Kash Patel's FBI seems to be bungling the investigation at every step.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
The accusation is that the administration bungled by not believing that Iran would follow through on its threats.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
The admission is just the latest bungle from New York’s beleaguered legal marijuana program, which has been hamstrung by legal challenges, a slow rollout and gaps in the law that allowed an illicit market to flourish.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bungle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bungle
Verb
-
As the years went by, judges complained that the city’s in-house lawyers had fumbled key casework.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Nothing erodes confidence faster than fumbling for lockboxes, waiting on unresponsive listing agents, or showing a space that clearly doesn’t fit.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Of course this was a calculated power play, not a bureaucratic botch.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
During last week's WWE SmackDown, a series of mistakes and botches drew harsh criticism from fans.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Pitchers and batters are both worse than a coin-flip at issuing challenges – blown calls in a matter of seconds.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Kings, who had a 5-3 advantage in shots in the first, got the first excellent chance of the game when dangerous goal scorer Adrian Kempe took advantage of a bobble at the LA blue line.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
But the experience includes a few bobbles—call them growing pains.—
Brent Rose,
Outside,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Accused of ruining baseball with their big-spending ways the past two years, the noise has only gotten louder as a labor showdown looms.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tesla's self-driving technology and the development of a humanoid robot, dubbed Optimus, are expected to further turbocharge growth, according to Ives.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The online trend, dubbed Chinamaxxing, has non-Chinese content creators singing the praises of their newfound Chinese identity.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungle. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
