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
Relevance
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
Al Weaver, The Hill, 27 Jan. 2025
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
Sarah Felbin, SELF, 10 June 2025
All day, people drop in rumors about trades, assertions based on stats, and complaints about whichever Knick is screwing up the worst.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Noun
But Republicans are quick to note: One major screwup before any of the committees could harm any of them irreparably.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 27 Jan. 2025
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
Verb
Rice is notoriously easy to screw up, and quick rice can get a bad rap.
—Sarah Felbin, SELF, 10 June 2025
All day, people drop in rumors about trades, assertions based on stats, and complaints about whichever Knick is screwing up the worst.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwup
Noun
-
Read on for some of the most common nutrition mistakes sports dietitians see that wreak havoc on people’s workouts—plus what to do instead.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
9 July 2025
-
Such complacency could be a mistake, as some market watchers have cautioned.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Developer Steven Ramos said the business would be a butcher shop, a bakery with coffee, and an ice cream counter.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
-
The market is just full of butcher shops, with the most ghastly whole pigs and halves of steers hanging from horrible hooks.—
John Updike,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Marketing gets the lead, but operations fumbles the conversion.—
Michael Fox,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
In-ho began fumbling, accidentally letting go of the top and flinging it backwards.—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Some of the clips have also already begun to go viral including one of Chase’s gazelle-like movement and another of Hill blowing by Smith-Njigba in coverage.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 July 2025
-
Water moving at 25 mph has the pressure equivalent of wind blowing at 790 mph, faster than the speed of sound.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández made run-scoring defensive blunders in the outfield.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
-
Whereas the Pacers had their lowest giveaway total of the championship round in Game 6, OKC had its highest turnover game of the playoffs, with 23 blunders leading to 32 Indiana points.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Hegseth, a former Fox TV host who has stumbled through several controversies during his six months in office, sat silently next to Trump without volunteering any information about the decision that apparently came on his watch.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
9 July 2025
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After a dramatic event, like an underwater landslide, covered her in sediment, her body remained hidden until 16 years ago, when scientists stumbled upon the nearly pristine fossil of the animal—a dolphin-like marine predator—and unearthed it for further research.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
Now a wonderful memory of the occasion will be ruined in my memories.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
9 July 2025
-
The ceiling was now on the floor, the world had turned itself upside down, her outfit and her day and her rug were seemingly ruined—and yet she herself was not hurt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
High-profile cases have shown that spreadsheet errors can cost companies millions.—
Aleksandra Bal,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
-
Unforced error after unforced error plagued the team.—
Emma Moon,
Charlotte Observer,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwup. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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