Synonyms

bumbling

American

[buhm-bling] / ˈbʌm blɪŋ /

adjective

liable to make awkward blunders.

a bumbling mechanic.
clumsily incompetent or ineffectual.

bumbling diplomacy.

noun

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

These include the theater’s posh director Meredith Potter; Stella’s bumbling surrogate father, Uncle Vernon; and the heartthrob P.L.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Even George W. Bush — the bumbling boardwalk caricature that he is — could deliver a State of the Union address without going off-prompter.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

Kidnapped by bumbling conspiracy theorists Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis, Michelle stares at her jailer calmly as she pitches them on letting her go.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

On the stairs there were bumbling uncertain footsteps and through the door came Mack.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023