1
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
clearly, there's been some sort of screwup about what time we were supposed to meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in butcher
someone who bungles an effort
don't ask the office screwup to arrange the holiday party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
you've totally screwed up the spreadsheet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of screwup
Steph Yang, The Athletic, 25 July 2024
And considering the premature appearance on the website (and now these images), that might happen sooner than later as Sonos looks to get back on track after a colossal screwup.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 17 Sep. 2024
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025
The tournament selection committee clearly screwed up by putting underqualified North Carolina in March Madness.
—Sean Gregory, TIME, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
No room for screwups, especially while the team was fighting for equal pay and better treatment from U.S. Soccer.
—Steph Yang, The Athletic, 25 July 2024
And considering the premature appearance on the website (and now these images), that might happen sooner than later as Sonos looks to get back on track after a colossal screwup.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 17 Sep. 2024
Verb
Experts described these systems as quite fragile and easy to screw up.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025
The tournament selection committee clearly screwed up by putting underqualified North Carolina in March Madness.
—Sean Gregory, TIME, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
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There have been expensive product mistakes and lots of trial and error with brushes, clips, hair dryers….—
Liz Krieger,
Allure,
15 Apr. 2025
-
Signing an extension with the Cubs before teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and others get the chance to bid on him would be a monumental mistake.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Yes, ancient human butchers wielding stone tools would leave marks on bone.—
Briana Pobiner,
The Conversation,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The meat and sausages come from the nearby butcher, and the cheese is from the type of local dairy that brags about its cows’ diet of pasture grasses and hay.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Later in the first period, Theodore fumbled the puck into the skates of his teammate, Hertl, on their way out of the defensive zone, and Foligno added to Minnesota’s lead.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
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Every moment spent fumbling with gear in those temperatures came at a cost—to fingers, batteries, and hard drives alike.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
April 17, 2025 The wind gusts could blow around unsecured objects and a few power outages may occur, the National Weather Service advised.—
Ashley Fredde,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But the team with the biggest quarterback blunder from 2018 was the Arizona Cardinals, who made the decision to trade up to the No. 10 pick to take Josh Rosen.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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This week’s White House Report Card could have been a bad one, considering court rulings against President Donald Trump, staffing blunders, and a lack of movement on his tariff war that is starting to scare his supporters.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Woman Makes 'Creepy' Find In Thrift Store By Alice Gibbs Senior Life and Trends Reporter Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 A thrift store shopper from Scotland stumbled on something unexpected in her local store when a beautiful glass paperweight caught her eye.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Apr. 2025
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Contractors renovating a historic home in Belgium stumbled upon the entrance to a secret tunnel identified by archaeologists as an escape route from World War I.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2025
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Justin Champagnie hit a 3-pointer, the Heat had a backcourt violation and then Carrington ruined Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s 40-point game by dropping this dagger on him.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Graham Pauley singled and advanced to third when a fielder’s choice turned into a throwing error on Bohm.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
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Story’s two homers made up for two errors the normally sure-handed shortstop made in the field, one throwing and one fielding.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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