bungle

bun·gle

verb \ˈbəŋ-gəl\

bun·gledbun·gling\-g(ə-)liŋ\

Definition of BUNGLE

intransitive verb

: to act or work clumsily and awkwardly

transitive verb

: mishandle, botch <bungle a job>

— bungle noun

— bun·gler \-g(ə-)lər\ noun

— bun·gling·ly \-g(ə-)liŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of BUNGLE

1. The government bungled badly in planning the campaign.
2. <bungled the job the first time she tried to do it>

Origin of BUNGLE

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic banga to hammer

First Known Use: 1549

Related to BUNGLE

Synonyms: blow, bobble, boggle, bollix (up), boot, bugger (up), bumble, botch, butcher, dub, flub, fluff, foozle, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mangle, mess (up), muck up, muff, murder, screw up

Related Words: blunder, gum (up), muddle, piffle; blemish, blight, damage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, mutilate, ruin, spoil, vitiate; destroy, wreck; mishandle, mismanage

Near Antonyms: ameliorate, better, enhance, help, improve, meliorate, rectify, refine, reform, remedy; doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp

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Rhymes with BUNGLE

fungal, jungle, pungle