bumbling

American  

[buhm-bling] / ˈbʌm blɪŋ /

adjective

1. liable to make awkward blunders.

   a bumbling mechanic.

2. clumsily incompetent or ineffectual.

   bumbling diplomacy.

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noun

1. the act or practice of making blunders.

   The bumbling of their officers cost them the battle.

Other Word Forms

• bumblingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of bumbling

First recorded in 1525–35; bumble ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

He’s spent the months since demanding respect from the press while bumbling his way through scandal after scandal.

From Salon

“I’ve got it!” howls Pebble, who comes bumbling out of the exact wrong bush behind the marmot.

From Literature

In “Scavengers,” the mother-and-daughter odd couple are too bumbling to make any headway.

From The Wall Street Journal

His performance in office has been anything but impressive, with stories of his bumbling the early days of the Charlie Kirk investigation and his mishandling of the Epstein files.

From Salon

Brilliant but frequently misunderstood, George is dismissed by one potential suspect as “a bumbling, disorganized eccentric.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• inept