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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bungle
Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Thao was accused of bungling the city’s finances, contributing to a budget shortfall that will almost certainly require sweeping cuts across government departments.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Has Trump bungled the economy? President Donald Trump’s approval ratings on the economy and inflation have fallen after weeks of tariff policy twists and turmoil in the stock market, according to a new poll.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
These are times the team put themselves in a position to pick up one point — and sometimes two — and bungled it.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bungle
Verb
With new signings badly needed, the January transfer window instead saw the promising defender Juma Bah lost to Manchester City for €6m after the teenager’s contract situation was bungled.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Thao was accused of bungling the city’s finances, contributing to a budget shortfall that will almost certainly require sweeping cuts across government departments.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Has Trump bungled the economy? President Donald Trump’s approval ratings on the economy and inflation have fallen after weeks of tariff policy twists and turmoil in the stock market, according to a new poll.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
These are times the team put themselves in a position to pick up one point — and sometimes two — and bungled it.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bungle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bungle
Verb
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Massey ranged to his left, lost his footing and fumbled the ball.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
20 May 2025
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Gutierrez found the jury was confused by antitrust law elements and fumbled a calculation for damages by mistaking an overcharge with a discount.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Those communication botches, whether on the break or in the half court, often include Towns, who once again vanished as a scorer.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
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Of the other methods – including electrocution, lethal gas and hanging – lethal injection had the highest botch rate of more than 7%. ‘An embrace of brutality’ Still, states have remained averse to the firing squad, a position that experts who spoke to CNN believe stems from its overt violence.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Failing to install the tax would blow an additional $80 million hole in Chicago’s 2026 budget as the city already faces a budget gap of around $1 billion, Budget Director Annette Guzman said.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2025
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Wind blows the dust into the atmosphere and begins moving it westward over the Atlantic Ocean.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2025
Noun
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The Adames bobble, and other items, were added to the following season’s promotional schedule.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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Miguel Vargas made a slight bobble, leading to no chance for a play at the plate, and then decided to throw to first.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2025
Verb
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There were missions that felt like a rally racing mini-game, asking me to navigate between timer-extending rings dotting barren desert ruins.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2025
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The situation took a turn when Amy accidentally ruined her earbuds in the wash.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
3 June 2025
Verb
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The 1991 parade, dubbed the National Victory Celebration, was held on June 8, 1991, and marked the first time the capital had seen such an event since the end of the Second World War 46 years earlier.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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Unlike the 2017 iteration (dubbed Deluxe), Mario Kart World (out June 5) isn’t just an upgrade to a previous title, but an all-new entry in the beloved racing franchise built from the ground up for Nintendo’s next generation console.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bungle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bungle. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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