Synonyms of fumble

fumble 1 of 2

noun

as in mistake

an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy

played the entire piano piece without a single fumble

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mistake
• blunder
• error
• stumble
• miscue
• trip
• flub
• bobble
• slip
• misstep
• gaffe
• inaccuracy
• gaff
• brick
• screwup
• slipup
• fault
• lapse
• goof
• boob
• clanger
• fluff
• oversight
• clinker
• boo-boo
• blooper
• pratfall
• howler
• snafu
• bloomer
• boner
• misunderstanding
• misjudgment
• misstatement
• misreading
• miscalculation
• misinterpretation
• misconception
• misconstruction
• miscomprehension
• foul-up
• misdescription
• misapprehension
• misimpression

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accuracy
• precision
• correctness
• exactness
• strictness
• exactitude
• perfection
• infallibility
• preciseness
• inerrancy

fumble

2 of 2

verb

ˈfəm-bəl 

1

as in to blow

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

her assistant fumbled the party plans by getting the time wrong on the invitations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blow
• boot
• botch
• ruin
• dub
• bungle
• murder
• muff
• foul up
• flub
• destroy
• screw up
• bumble
• spoil
• butcher
• mangle
• goof (up)
• fluff
• bobble
• damage
• boggle
• bugger (up)
• muck up
• blunder
• wreck
• mess (up)
• hurt
• mar
• injure
• foozle
• muddle
• louse up
• bollix (up)
• flaw
• gum (up)
• mutilate
• impair
• harm
• blight
• blemish
• vitiate
• mismanage
• mishandle
• piffle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• help
• improve
• better
• enhance
• rectify
• remedy
• reform
• refine
• ameliorate
• repair
• fix
• patch
• meliorate
• renovate
• revamp
• doctor
• recondition

2

as in to grope

to search for something blindly or uncertainly

the librarian fumbled for the light switch as she entered the dark room

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grope
• look
• feel
• reach
• fish
• scrabble
• grab
• clutch
• hunt
• snatch
• grabble
• seize
• rake
• seek (out)
• cast about
• capture
• rummage
• dig (through)
• rifle
• comb
• nab
• nail
• corral
• dredge
• ransack
• get
• scour

3

as in to stumble

to make a mistake

just when it looked like he was going to get away with the ruse, he fumbled

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stumble
• trip
• blunder
• slip up
• flub
• mistake
• err
• foul up
• nod
• screw up
• drop the ball
• lay an egg
• goof (up)
• fluff
• boob
• misunderstand
• louse up
• mess (up)
• botch
• muff
• bungle
• murder
• misjudge
• mangle
• butcher
• miscue
• miscalculate
• mishandle
• bobble
• misconceive
• miscount
• misconstrue
• misinterpret
• foozle
• misdeem
• misgauge

Examples of fumble in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Minshew threw three interceptions and lost a fumble against the Rams. —Mark Anderson, The Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2024

Peters appeared to force another fumble with three minutes remaining while Estancia had the ball at its 44, but the official ruled that Sanchez’s arm was moving forward, making that play an incomplete pass. —David Delgado, Orange County Register, 12 Oct. 2024

Verb

Common ghost sightings include Michael, an Irish stonemason who fell to his death (near Room 218) when building the hotel, and Theodora, a patient who fumbles for her keys outside Room 419. —Brooke Bobb, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2024

Dug it themselves, tripped over their own shoelaces, tumbled, fumbled right in. —Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 28 Sep. 2024