as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
you've mangled this so badly that we'll have to do it over
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mangle
The girl’s features rearrange and for a split second her whole face looks mangled.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
When laundering mittens or gloves in the washing machine, use a protective mesh bag to keep these small items from getting lost or mangled in the wash.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
The attack had left one of his legs mangled and necrotic, with the bone badly exposed.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Before the fundraising event, Chance tried his best to mangle duck and Lamb Chop chew toys, and peed on some bricks in front of Vonn’s home.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mangle
Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
When laundering mittens or gloves in the washing machine, use a protective mesh bag to keep these small items from getting lost or mangled in the wash.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
The attack had left one of his legs mangled and necrotic, with the bone badly exposed.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Before the fundraising event, Chance tried his best to mangle duck and Lamb Chop chew toys, and peed on some bricks in front of Vonn’s home.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mangle
Verb
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Do not fumble this opportunity to select a governor that is a true progressive candidate.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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In turn, the Heat fumbled it away.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There was a short pursuit on the freeway, which ended when a tire blew on the SUV.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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Taubitz remains the one to beat, but after her teammate faltered on her third run, the medal competition was blown open.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The week-long operation, dubbed Operation Reclaim and Rebuild, involved dozens of agencies and led to the rescue of 12 adults and five children in Los Angeles County alone, officials said during a news conference.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Vela said the forthcoming ordinance, dubbed the TRUST Act, would improve discussions around the city's use of surveillance technologies.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That was what Ilia Malinin endured on Friday night, when his disastrous free skate ruined his chances for gold.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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Steam cleaning is an effective way to sanitize and refresh your mattress, but the wrong technique can end up ruining the fabric.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Several cool props gestured to historical infrastructural neglect and botched Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
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Darnold, of course, is the great what-might-have-been for Jets fans, who watched helplessly as their team botched its oversight of the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Heavy snow, extreme winds and rough seas kept the whales from being butchered in a timely fashion.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
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This is the second time his beloved arid succulent has been butchered, with the first incident taking place in 2022.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Chapek bungled the fallout, and as Disney’s business got hammered by the pandemic, the board ultimately brought Iger back in to steady the ship.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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With an 11-0 start for the first time since the 1990s, the Aggies bungled the last two games of the season losing to Texas in Rivalry Week and Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Shipwreck hunters have been searching the lakes with more urgency in recent years out of concerns that invasive quagga mussels are slowly destroying wrecks.—
Todd Richmond,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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However, archaeologists faced a significant challenge—how to penetrate its secrets without destroying it in the process?—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mangle. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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