as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
a botched attempt to mend relations with our disaffected European allies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fumbled
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of botched
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
In all fairness, the idea that five disgruntled political operatives had staged a botched burglary made far more sense than to imagine a government conspiracy that ensnared the president, the attorney general, the FBI director, and the head of the CIA.
—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 June 2026
Cbs New York Team,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Chisolm followed with a liner off the base of the wall in right before scoring when second baseman Travis Bazzana botched a grounder.
—
ABC News,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for botched
Adjective
Alpha Camp beat Charlie Camp into the finals in dramatic fashion despite Leiya's botched fire-starting.
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Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
In all fairness, the idea that five disgruntled political operatives had staged a botched burglary made far more sense than to imagine a government conspiracy that ensnared the president, the attorney general, the FBI director, and the head of the CIA.
—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 June 2026
Verb
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
Chisolm followed with a liner off the base of the wall in right before scoring when second baseman Travis Bazzana botched a grounder.
—
ABC News,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for botched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botched
Adjective
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Such a feature would neatly get around the need for clumsy remote control sessions to interact with AI agents running on a distant Mac.
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The head coach was clumsy in his response, saying — in effect — that the player is better suited to being an impact substitute and taking advantage of tiring opposition defenders.
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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Before that, Tampa Bay fumbled scoring opportunities in five of the first seven innings and stranded five overall.
Adjective
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Human bodies were like animals’ The few medical instruments of the revolutionary era were heavy in the hand, awkward in use and imprecise to maneuver.
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In its place are itty-bitty bands that still keep your flats or heels in place, just with less of a chance of awkward tan lines.
Verb
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For now, the press still sometimes bungled his name as Harry.
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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.
Verb
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Coach Matt LaFleur faces immense pressure after the team blew a 21-3 playoff lead and finished with five straight losses.
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But what really blew me away was the sheer scale of the panoramas.
Verb
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Croatia still furious Despite the correct decision being made, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was far from happy, saying VAR had ruined the spirit of the game.
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Bovary is in some sense a morality tale, but what lifts it above didacticism, along with its bone-deep interiority, is that its romantic plotlines are as addictive as the genre works that have ruined poor Emma Bovary.
Cite this Entry
“Botched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botched. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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