fumble

American  

[fuhm-buhl] / ˈfʌm bəl /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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noun

1. the act of fumbling

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

She said she scanned the table for recording devices, but concluded they were clueless investors as they fumbled through basic questions about Slovenian politics.

From The Wall Street Journal

His first finish was the easiest goal he is likely to score in his career, stooping close to the goalline to head in after Kepa Arrizabalaga fumbled the ball into his path.

From BBC

I fumbled with the lock and drew the door gingerly back.

From Literature

‘I’ve still got some yarrow leaves,’ he said, fumbling for his medicine pouch with his free hand.

From Literature

That fumbling page had unnerved me, just as much as the ceaseless tattering of branches and the gusting winds that had howled in my ears as I’d trudged across the city that night.

From Literature

Related Words

• botch
• flub
• mishandle
• screw up
• stumble