fumbling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of fumblingnext
as in uncomfortable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fumbling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fumble
1
as in blowing
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way her assistant fumbled the party plans by getting the time wrong on the invitations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in groping
to search for something blindly or uncertainly the librarian fumbled for the light switch as she entered the dark room

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in stumbling
to make a mistake just when it looked like he was going to get away with the ruse, he fumbled

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fumbling
  1. uncomfortable
  2. wooden
  3. looking
  4. tripping
  5. reaching
  6. gawky
  7. ungainly
  8. clumsy
Adjective
  • Those numbers might have been a tad uncomfortable to handle, and the markets didn’t want to take inflation hot to go.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Yet perhaps the most uncomfortable outcome for the millions following along is if the meaning machine fails and the shooting doesn’t provide any greater resolution.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • The centerpiece is a floor-to-ceiling bluestone fireplace that’s surrounded by huge windows, skylights, and wooden beams.
    Clio Chang, Curbed, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The wooden beams and exposed stone apertures in the walls remind you of the heritage that lies in the bones of the house.
    Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Definition of wooden
Verb
  • Standing out in one of these areas will surely be a yellow flag in the diligence process and could lead to investors looking elsewhere.
    Cody Slach, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Residents and businesses cannot afford for the city to continue to be a greater outlier, risk harming our ability to recruit top talent and investments and send the wrong message to growing industries looking to build or grow in Chicago.
    Jack Lavin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of looking
Verb
  • Instead, it's recommended to hang Christmas lights using a ladder to reduce the risk of accidentally slipping, tripping, or falling from the roof.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
  • This will also help avoid creating an unseen tripping hazard.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Nov. 2024
Definition of tripping
Verb
  • As with its forbear, a five-speed stick controlled all that, with the power reaching the road through the rear wheels.
    Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2024
  • With ‘quiet quitting’ reaching new levels, businesses are exploring ways to reverse this trend.
    Nadia Edwards-Dashti, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of reaching
Adjective
  • Carmello, a three-time Tony nominee, delivers an exquisite performance, equal parts gawky and wise, a tender-hearted girl feeling every slight but also always slightly above the fray.
    Karen D'Souza, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Here, Finnigan is gawky and eager in a T-shirt and jeans, with a few helpful props on hand, determined to tick all the boxes just so.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024
Definition of gawky
Adjective
  • With two soldiers able to wrestle the ungainly seven foot long M20 into position on its tripod, the mobility of such a lethal system proved to be a game changer.
    Mike Hanlon, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2024
  • Series 2 cars, built through 1971, made concessions to U.S. safety regulations, and the Series 3 cars, available as a convertible and an ungainly 2+2, were powered by a 5.3-liter V12 engine.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2024
Definition of ungainly
Adjective
  • Far from prolific in front of goal, the Senegalese looked out of sorts, full of running and hunger to score but clumsy, his anxious limbs snatching at chances rather than taking them naturally.
    Henry Flynn, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
  • The first few episodes were rife with clumsy and, at times, confusing time jumps, many that seemed tacked on to preexisting scenes in an effort to retrofit them for a new, Costner-less reality.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of clumsy
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near fumbling

fumbles

fumbling

fume

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Cite this Entry

“Fumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fumbling. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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