bumble
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
to bungle or blunder awkwardly; muddle.
He somehow bumbled through two years of college.
-
to stumble or stagger.
-
to speak in a low, stuttering, halting manner; mumble.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to speak or do in a clumsy, muddled, or inefficient way
he bumbled his way through his speech
-
(intr) to proceed unsteadily; stumble
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bumble1
1525–35; perhaps blend of bungle and stumble
Origin of bumble2
1350–1400; Middle English bomblen, frequentative of bomben to boom, buzz; imitative
Explanation
To bumble is to move or speak in an awkward, fumbling way. You might bumble your way through your first dance performance, tripping over your own two feet. When you bumble, you walk unsteadily or speak with a stutter. You can also bumble something, or completely mess it up. An inexperienced teacher might bumble her attempts at managing a huge class of middle school students, and you might worry that you'll bumble your first interview as a radio reporter. Bumble was first used in the 1500's, and it's probably an imitative word, or one that sounds like what it means.
Vocabulary lists containing bumble
Awkward Moments
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Wife of Bath's Tale," Vocabulary from the narrative poem
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Look Both Ways
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
To examine how different pollinators interact, the team divided flower visitors into five groups: honey bees, bumble bees, solitary bees, hoverflies, and an 'other' category containing butterflies, beetles, and wasps.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
If I bumble that first line, we came to France for nothing.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Philadelphia managed to bumble its way into the play-in and squeaked into the playoffs to face Boston.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
The research employed a combination of field and laboratory studies, starting with quantifying pesticide residues at suitable hibernation sites for bumble bee queens on Ontario farms.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024
Listen to this one: 'Bee it ever so bumble there’s no place like comb.’”
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
The Steelers had bumbled into the decisive Week 18 contest by managing the impossible and losing to Shedeur Sanders and Cleveland the week before, extending Baltimore’s life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 5, 2026
I bumbled my way through an explanation of not having had my coffee yet and leaving them in the car by mistake.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2025
The misstep and bumbled efforts to correct it, which left many unable to work their speakers, infuriated the brand’s loyal customers and took a toll on the company’s bottom line.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2025
The Chinese balloon that bumbled its way across the United States has launched a thousand questions about its real intent.
From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2023
Bees bumbled through the air, so stuffed with apple they couldn’t be bothered to sting me.
From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson
The fumbling, bumbling Chargers keep stumbling in their unprecedented 0-4 start in the Jim Harbaugh era.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
In the Angels, who have played their home games in the shadow of Disneyland in Anaheim since 1966, the 79-year-old Kroenke is taking over one of the most bumbling teams in the sport.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
The shrews must also dodge the menacing cat, Terrification, as well as the bumbling Inspector Dalgliesh, a dog who finds his name a constant source of exasperation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
"The island would not be the same without him. He's still bumbling, still a wee bit getting the wrong end of the stick quite a lot."
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026
It was clear that he was getting better and better with each succeeding game, his fumbling, bumbling performance in the season opener a laughable memory.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
