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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of botch
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 June 2026
Chisholm's followed with a liner off the base of the wall in right before scoring when second baseman Travis Bazzana botched a grounder.
—
Cbs New York Team,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
This might seem like a minor quibble, but the fact that the new movie botches the whole wait-what-did-they-actually-do-last-summer thing speaks to a prevailing sense of laziness.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Verb
The inter-office tension grew after Paxton not only botched a case, but showed up to court the next day drunk, landing her in rehab and on a redemption tour that never quite stuck.
—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 June 2026
Chisholm's followed with a liner off the base of the wall in right before scoring when second baseman Travis Bazzana botched a grounder.
—
Cbs New York Team,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Noun
During last week's WWE SmackDown, a series of mistakes and botches drew harsh criticism from fans.
—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
This might seem like a minor quibble, but the fact that the new movie botches the whole wait-what-did-they-actually-do-last-summer thing speaks to a prevailing sense of laziness.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botch
Verb
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But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.
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With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
Noun
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Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
Verb
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Finally, during penalties, Paraguay was up 3-2 and needed to make only one more kick before missing its last two, nearly blowing the match.
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The sobering reality, however, is that this is a 35-48 team that already has been blown too far off course.
Noun
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The principal grape varieties in this region are Plavac Mali (red) and Pošip (white).
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Bagel lovers can pick from classic varieties like sesame, cinnamon raisin, blueberry and poppy seed.
Verb
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Kylian Mbappe, Romelu Lukaku and Darwin Nunez are some names at the World Cup who have previously bungled a knee slide celebration by diving into the ground, rather than trying to sling themselves along it.
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For now, the press still sometimes bungled his name as Harry.
Noun
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Complete your sleep sanctuary with cozy body pillows, laundry essentials, and a wide assortment of colors and styles.
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Pinned to their random assortment of hats were scrawled, handmade signs proclaiming liberty or death.
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
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After all, plenty of cocktail enthusiasts already complain about mosquitoes ruining a summer evening.
Noun
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And for more of a medley, consider three different colorways to line a midcentury-modern lap pool.
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D’Angelo’s children introduced the medley, which was set against a backdrop of floor to ceiling windows looking out on a starry sky.
Cite this Entry
“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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