as in blunder
somewhat informal
a problem that makes a situation difficult or confusing
A major scheduling snafu led to two meetings starting at the same time.
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 snafu
Several have recently implemented technology that could have avoided this snafu and others like it.
—
Rachel Flynn, People.com, 14 May 2025
But the shoe rules have still caused snafus, as when a Native American producer was turned away from the red carpet for wearing moccasins in 2022.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
Our snafu echoes across continents and generations, an age-old problem with a newish name: the mental load.
—Eliza Shapiro, New York Times, 12 May 2025
We all have been bedeviled at times by bureaucratic snafus (and snares), and so improvement is necessary.
—John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for snafu
Rachel Flynn, People.com, 14 May 2025
But the shoe rules have still caused snafus, as when a Native American producer was turned away from the red carpet for wearing moccasins in 2022.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
Our snafu echoes across continents and generations, an age-old problem with a newish name: the mental load.
—Eliza Shapiro, New York Times, 12 May 2025
We all have been bedeviled at times by bureaucratic snafus (and snares), and so improvement is necessary.
—John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for snafu
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snafu
Noun
-
Viewers speculated whether this was a blunder, power play or something else.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
27 May 2025
-
Many of the nation’s biggest military blunders occurred because there wasn’t enough diversity in the armed forces.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
Choosing smoothies low in protein and fiber, adding sugary ingredients to your smoothie, and using low-calorie smoothies as meal replacements are just some of the smoothie mistakes that could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
3 June 2025
-
The teenager from India, under pressure throughout much of the game, capitalized on a rare mistake from the Norwegian veteran to seize victory.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
The government has admitted in court that his deportation was an administrative error.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2025
-
In 2018, a study by MIT Media Lab revealed that commercial AI systems had error rates of up to 34% for darker-skinned women, compared to just 1% for lighter-skinned men.—
Jessica Smith,
Time,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Snafu.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snafu. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share