fumble

[fuhm-buhl]

verb (used without object)

fumbled, fumbling 

1. to feel or grope about clumsily.

   She fumbled in her purse for the keys.

2. Sports.,  to fumble the ball.

verb (used with object)

fumbled, fumbling 

1. to make, handle, etc., clumsily or inefficiently.

   to fumble an attempt; He fumbled his way through the crowded room.

   Synonyms: muff, spoil, mishandle, botch, bungle

2. Sports.,  to fail to hold or maintain hold on (a ball) after having touched it or carried it.

noun

1. the act of fumbling.

   We completed the difficult experiment without a fumble.

2. Sports.,  an act or instance of fumbling the ball.

fumble

/ ˈfʌmbəl /

verb

1. (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

2. (intr; foll by at or with) to finger or play with, esp in an absent-minded way

3. to say or do hesitantly or awkwardly

   he fumbled the introduction badly

4. to fail to catch or grasp (a ball, etc) cleanly

noun

1. the act of fumbling

Other Word Forms

• fumbler noun
• fumblingly adverb
• fumblingness noun
• outfumble verb (used with object)
• unfumbled adjective
• unfumbling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fumble¹

1500–10; akin to Norwegian, Swedish fumla, Middle Low German fummeln to grope, fumble

Word History and Origins

Origin of fumble¹

C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Swedish fumla

Example Sentences

And they appeared to seize the momentum on the first series of the second half when Jared Verse sacked Jalen Hurts and forced a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Nate Landman.

From Los Angeles Times

Bishop Gorman forced a fumble by Hopkins, and Prince Williams returned it for a touchdown that was nullified by defensive holding.

From Los Angeles Times

He was returning from a news conference in London, where he confused Albania and Armenia and fumbled the pronunciation of Azerbaijan, which sounded a bit more like Abracadabra.

From Los Angeles Times

Early on, there’s a wedding scene when David thinks he’s fumbled it with Sarah and he stands on the sidelines of the dance floor watching her slither up to some other guy.

From Los Angeles Times

Meantime, fellow edge rusher Byron Young has three sacks and a forced fumble.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• botch 
• flub 
• mishandle 
• screw up 
• stumble