as in jumbles
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
Relevance
as in fumbles
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
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 botches
Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
Continue reading … FACT CHECK – Washington Post botches Israel-Gaza history leading to major correction.
—FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botches
Noun
-
The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Seahawks are a high-turnover team on both sides of the ball, but the 49ers have forced just two takeaways in the season series — both fumbles in the opener.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The Honda backs up a few feet as the agent fumbles at the door handle.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Minute Maid's frozen juices - including several varieties of orange juice, lemonade and limeade - will be discontinued by April, with inventory available while supplies last, Coca-Cola said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Other varieties include a fun skirt with a threadbare T-shirt, or Brandy Melville basics offset by aggressively A-lister sunglasses.—
Olivia Allen,
Vogue,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Seeking changes Like much of Connecticut, Brookfield already experiences poor air quality and particulate-matter pollution that blows into the state from the west.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
-
And the spending rarely stops when the final whistle blows.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Following the ceremony, invited guests and media will tour the store, explore exclusive product assortments, and capture visuals throughout the flagship space, including dedicated brand and athlete areas.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Its proprietary planner, then, aims to replace the traditionally tedious, labor-intensive methods for aggregating seasonal assortments across brands.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
While further details on how the segment will work were not immediately available, awards shows often have multi-artist performances delivered as tight medleys, although eight is a lot.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Here, she's seen performing on her variety show, which featured a number of famous guests and her own musical medleys.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Those intensive collages implied, and even staged, his successive incarnations across six decades of musical self-reinvention.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Jangly guitars and vaporwave sample collages shiver and burst, while Ritchie raps with an improvisational sensibility.—
Benny Sun,
Pitchfork,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Botches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botches. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
