1
as in fumbles
to make a mistake
we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in blows
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
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Recent Examples of screws up
Kyle tries to jump up the wall, lands awkwardly, and screws up his ankle.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
What all happens that screws up everything?
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Ego screws up most of the things in this life.
—Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
What all happens that screws up everything?
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
Ego screws up most of the things in this life.
—Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screws up
Verb
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If the creditor fumbles the process, then an otherwise valid and collectible debt may be barred.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Sonny feels like a departure; unlike Bernthal’s mercenaries, Sonny fumbles with his gun, has a bleeding heart, and lays his vulnerabilities bare.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the wind blows, pollen from these catkins is carried through the air, hoping to reach female flowers on other oaks and ensure the next generation of trees.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
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The action Both teams traded blows early in the action, with the Cardinals jumping out to an early lead following a 10-0 spurt – familiar from last Saturday’s matchup.—
Hunter Bailey,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The movie follows Rick Power (Rudd), a wedding band singer who stumbles into a late-night jam session with former boy band star Danny (Jonas) and reignites his passion for songwriting.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
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West stumbles into the kitchen looking for some buffalo-chicken dip, wearing only a pair of shorts and a smile.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That’s true at the end of the film but not at the beginning, when Jason dons the mask and murders his film professor.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
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Her unscrupulous, power-hungry uncle Claudius (Kôji Yakusho) murders his own brother to become king.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nor is the scene in which Cory trips on mushrooms on Hollywood Boulevard (which is probably true of half the people walking there).—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Mar. 2026
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That's honestly great news for tailors and anyone who regularly trips over their own feet.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dominic Zvada boots a 31-yard field goal to give the Wolverines the lead.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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At Baku, however, the car looks to be a podium contender, potentially fighting for the win if McLaren slips up.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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Along the way Texas needs to hope Seattle slips up, or else that final weekend in Cleveland could wind up being meaningless.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Soon a tunnel between the ships, then a meeting, with a friendly, inquisitive alien who looks like a sort of craggy spider/crab, whom Grace dubs Rocky.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
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While Americans searched for spaces for deeper community in that span, CultureCon – which now dubs itself the world's largest meetup of creatives – sprouted from a gathering of 21 people in Ellis' apartment to an annual gathering place for 12,000 attendees.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Screws up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screws%20up. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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