as in to fumble
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jumble
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things
this police procedural is basically a botch of plot elements stolen from other (and better) novels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of botch
Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 16 June 2025
In 2020, Hilco Redevelopment Partners botched the demolition of an old coal plant’s smokestack, blanketing Little Village homes with dust and debris.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Spider-Man 3 (2007) A botch job of oppositional motivations practically disowned by its own director, the messiest Spider-Man movie is a near-constant tonal misfire, simultaneously more serious than its predecessors and more willfully goofy.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Verb
At the time, the club had badly botched their negotiations with franchise cornerstone Mookie Betts, then let All-Star and fan favorite Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency to San Diego.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 16 June 2025
In 2020, Hilco Redevelopment Partners botched the demolition of an old coal plant’s smokestack, blanketing Little Village homes with dust and debris.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Noun
Lastly, there was the botch job of trading away Jake Guentzel at the deadline last season.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Spider-Man 3 (2007) A botch job of oppositional motivations practically disowned by its own director, the messiest Spider-Man movie is a near-constant tonal misfire, simultaneously more serious than its predecessors and more willfully goofy.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for botch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botch
Verb
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But then Superman lost flight and Warners fumbled the lucrative Reeve franchise greatly.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
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Ferguson couldn't find the end zone once, and even fumbled the ball four times, after preventing fumbles entirely during his first two seasons in the league.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Noun
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In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
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Instead, voters themselves are jumbles of competing and sometimes contradictory interests.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Noun
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Water sources, indigenous barley varieties, a hot climate, and seasonal changes resulting from the monsoon cycle contribute to the unique regional signatures.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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Each three-pack is available in a variety of sizes, including small, medium, large, and more, and comes in more than four color options, too (although prices vary by style and size).—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 July 2025
Verb
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What to know about the German Shepherd tied to the Karen Read trial Karen Read claims police bungled the investigation.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
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Burnett did not relent, and Miramax arguably buried the film, bungling its marketing.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 June 2025
Noun
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To attract a wider assortment of bird species, plant both evergreen and deciduous trees.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 July 2025
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Time is running out, so here’s a fresh assortment of markdowns to choose from.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Now a wonderful memory of the occasion will be ruined in my memories.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
9 July 2025
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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
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The stew usually has a tomato-and-barbecue-sauce base and includes a medley of vegetables and potatoes.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
1 July 2025
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So, Katz was, and continues to be, ahead of her time, offering a medley of individualized laser services (something that is still somewhat rare in combination) at a price that makes these often astronomical treatments relatively accessible.—
Nora Zelevansky,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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