as in clumsy
showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)
a botched attempt to mend relations with our disaffected European allies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fumbled
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
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Recent Examples of botched
Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025
Schorn says authorities do not believe Patty was killed in a botched robbery.
—Veronica Fulton, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2025
Trump tanked the economy with his trade wars and his botched pandemic response.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2025
In the days since Yoon’s botched martial law attempt, extraordinary details have emerged of just how many senior figures, both within the political establishment and the military, were caught completely off-guard.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for botched
Adjective
The project unspools as a botched attempt to tackle one of America’s most infamous unsolved mysteries, whose details were memorably chronicled in David Fincher’s outstanding 2007 thriller, Zodiac.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025
Schorn says authorities do not believe Patty was killed in a botched robbery.
—Veronica Fulton, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2025
Trump tanked the economy with his trade wars and his botched pandemic response.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2025
In the days since Yoon’s botched martial law attempt, extraordinary details have emerged of just how many senior figures, both within the political establishment and the military, were caught completely off-guard.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for botched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botched
Adjective
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These transitions, between past and present, are sometimes clumsy but sometimes genuinely sweet, as with an old letter that near-simultaneously is dictated and written, received and read, and finally rediscovered (and only partially understood) in the 21st century.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
27 May 2025
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Wildlife officials helped remove a black bear found hanging out in the kitchen of a Kentucky home after an impressive, yet clumsy break-in, photos show.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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Eddie's real parentage is revealed, Maeve is outed, Kevin catches up with Rusby, Bella brokers her deal, and Alice attends an awkward Harrigan dinner.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
26 May 2025
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There is also an awkward disconnect: Gmail’s recent encryption upgrade clashes with its AI upgrades.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Verb
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And then in Joker 2, some people complained that the movie was ruined by the images on the screen and the sounds that accompanied them.—
Lexy Perez,
The Hollywood Reporter,
6 Jan. 2025
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Believing their beloved team already ruined mock drafting for the next two months, New York Giants fans probably hope for a loss against a Philadelphia Eagles team expected to rest starters Sunday.—
Jeff Howe,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Botched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botched. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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