fumble
Americanverb (used without object)
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to feel or grope about clumsily.
She fumbled in her purse for the keys.
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Sports. to fumble the ball.
verb (used with object)
noun
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the act of fumbling.
We completed the difficult experiment without a fumble.
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Sports. an act or instance of fumbling the ball.
verb
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(intr; often foll by for or with) to grope about clumsily or blindly, esp in searching
he was fumbling in the dark for the money he had dropped
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(intr; foll by at or with) to finger or play with, esp in an absent-minded way
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to say or do hesitantly or awkwardly
he fumbled the introduction badly
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to fail to catch or grasp (a ball, etc) cleanly
noun
Other Word Forms
- fumbler noun
- fumblingly adverb
- fumblingness noun
- outfumble verb (used with object)
- unfumbled adjective
- unfumbling adjective
Etymology
Origin of fumble
1500–10; akin to Norwegian, Swedish fumla, Middle Low German fummeln to grope, fumble
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.
The Chargers’ final five possessions ended with three punts, a fumble and a turnover on downs.
From Los Angeles Times
I saw her fumbling with a pale yellow hatbox, then slipping a silver object into her bag.
From Literature
They forced the game's first three turnovers - two from Stroud fumbles, plus an interception - but the best Pittsburgh could muster on the following possessions was a solitary field goal.
From BBC
Near the middle of the fourth quarter, he lost a fumble and got hit so hard he lay on the ground for several moments before teammates gingerly helped him to his feet.
From Los Angeles Times
He had two passes intercepted — including one that was returned for a touchdown — and lost a fumble.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions 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.
