1
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
clearly, there's been some sort of screwup about what time we were supposed to meet
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2
as in butcher
someone who bungles an effort
don't ask the office screwup to arrange the holiday party
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1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it
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2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
you've totally screwed up the spreadsheet
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of screwup
Bynick Rockel, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024
Similar screwups would occur again and again over the years, with each side perennially overinterpreting the other’s behavior while explaining away its own.
—Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Laura Bradley, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024
Myers nails the realistic teen who is a far cry from the unflappable Nancy Drew, screwing up plenty and often terrified of what she’s gotten herself into.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for screwup 
Noun
Then there’s Uber, whose data quality controls missed an accounting screwup that cost it $45 million in back pay for drivers.
—Bynick Rockel, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024
Similar screwups would occur again and again over the years, with each side perennially overinterpreting the other’s behavior while explaining away its own.
—Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
The producers really screwed up — and a bunch of other people, crew members — to result in Halyna’s death.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024
Myers nails the realistic teen who is a far cry from the unflappable Nancy Drew, screwing up plenty and often terrified of what she’s gotten herself into.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
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But getting the technology to follow open-ended commands reliably remains a challenge, with the risk that errors could translate into costly and hard-to-undo mistakes.Will Knight, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
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In my experience, companies with strong safety capabilities typically have robust systems and processes that identify risks, are willing and able to learn from mistakes and proactively build resilience against the unexpected.Andreza Araujo, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Patole heads to a market town to buy leafy greens, then trudges down a muddy road lined with butcher shops, each a hole-in-the-wall, run by Muslim men – the Indian minority dominates the butchery trade.Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 15 Dec. 2024
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In the textbook’s narrative, the butcher of millions is never culpable.Leon Aron, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Taylor started Indy’s unraveling by fumbling away a would-be 41-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that would’ve given Indianapolis a 20-7 lead.Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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That’s what Matt Stafford did after fumbling through the start of the game.Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Many of the winds that blow down mountain slopes in California are also named for their locale, according to Null.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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To have someone so esteemed give that sort of affirmation about my work really just blew me away.Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Sunday, Stroud threw two interceptions and ran out of the back of the end zone while avoiding a pass rusher with 1:13 left, a blunder that resulted in a safety that sealed the Tennessee Titans’ 32-27 victory.Joseph Person, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
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The biggest drama surrounding the Browns this season has nothing to do with quarterback play, personnel decisions or on-field blunders.Troy Smith, Axios, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The chances of you strolling up to a domain registrar and snapping up a domain worth thousands of dollars is about the same as stumbling upon a Jackson Pollock in a thrift store.Darpan Munjal, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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In Northern California, the San Francisco Giants stumbled to another losing season in 2024.David K. Li, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This increases the risk of electrical shocks, fire, and short circuits, which can ruin your holidays.Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
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Over time, this can take away a company's competitive edge or even ruin its reputation with future talent.Subha Barry, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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By empowering legal teams to achieve accurate, timely SEC compliance, his innovations help companies avoid costly errors and regulatory issues, ultimately supporting investor confidence and market integrity.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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Externalities can and do bring on higher prices without having anything to do with currency error.John Tamny, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near screwup
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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