as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
the first time we tried to make a cake, we botched the job completely
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jumble
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things
this police procedural is basically a botch of plot elements stolen from other (and better) novels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of botch
Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
And botched by the officials, said Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for botch
Verb
After years of bad picks, botched development and shipping away capital for short-term additions, this is the time to replenish a depleted prospect pool.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
And botched by the officials, said Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
The 10-member panel’s first time out, in 2022, was a total botch, as the process was unconstitutionally hijacked by Democrats in the Legislature until it was stopped by the state’s highest court.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for botch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botch
Verb
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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
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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
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Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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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
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Idaho adults pay about $145 for a sportsman’s package that includes fishing and hunting licenses and a variety of tags for species including deer, elk, bear, mountain lion and wolf.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Apr. 2026
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For the April 7 Missouri local elections, governments around the Kansas City area are asking their voters to pay for city services in a variety of ways.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Apollo’s acquisition came after Verizon Communications bought Yahoo’s online operations in 2017 and then bungled an attempt to blend those services into AOL, another internet pioneer.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Apollo's acquisition came after Verizon Communications bought Yahoo's online operations in 2017 and then bungled an attempt to blend those services into AOL, another internet pioneer.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This assortment also includes a large selection of earrings, bracelets, anklets, rings, hair tie sets, keychains and more.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
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The first release of an eight-album series in which American composer and pianist Michael Harrison collaborates with a global assortment of artists combining Eastern and Western musical traditions.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
29 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
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The 2024 World silver medalist brought her characteristic grace and glamour — and a new, high-scoring opening jump — to her Sophia Loren medley short program.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
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Videos posted on social media showed an attack drone plowing into a building and setting off a fire in Lviv's city center -- a UNESCO World Heritage site with a medley of cobblestone streets and historic buildings.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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