botch 1 of 2

verb

Definition of botchnext
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way the first time we tried to make a cake, we botched the job completely

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

botch

2 of 2

noun

as in jumble
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things this police procedural is basically a botch of plot elements stolen from other (and better) novels

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of botch
Verb
Then there were the giant press machines, which required regular pounding with a sledgehammer to function properly but still botched the shaping of nearly every shell. — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026 So, has anyone here A) been to a game, and B) seen someone completely botch a play? — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
During last week's WWE SmackDown, a series of mistakes and botches drew harsh criticism from fans. — Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 This might seem like a minor quibble, but the fact that the new movie botches the whole wait-what-did-they-actually-do-last-summer thing speaks to a prevailing sense of laziness. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for botch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for botch
  1. fumble
  2. jumble
  3. blow
  4. variety
  5. bungle
  6. assortment
  7. ruin
  8. medley
Verb
  • On his second drive, Tagovailoa fumbled the snap from center and the Dolphins recovered.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Centennial fumbled on its first possession to set up Petero’s two-yard touchdown run.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of fumble
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble
Verb
  • It’s been a decade since the company best known for sucking up hair balls and dust bunnies blew with great force into the beauty business.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Las Vegas spectacle, which opened to the public in August 2025, already blows audiences around with tornado-force wind, shakes them with haptic seats, sends giant winged monkeys flying overhead and drops hundreds of foam apples from the ceiling.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • With three- and four-bedroom options, open living areas and flexible spaces, the collection offers a variety of choices for buyers looking for a new home in North Reno.
    — Jenuane Communities, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • For Jia, who has watched generations of Chinese talents develop in a variety of ways, his hope is for these Chinese mavericks playing in America to stay.
    — Fred He, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of variety
Verb
  • On Monday, a judge on Staten Island temporarily blocked the city from implementing the tax due to a lawsuit brought by a group of homeowners who allege the city bungled the rollout of the tax.
    — CBS New York Team, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The combustion of Graham Platner’s candidacy in Maine is another blow to a Democratic Party trying to mend its reputation after bungling the 2024 presidential election.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 9 July 2026
Definition of bungle
Noun
  • The announcement marks yet another win for the Midwest, with the magazine praising John's Food & Wine for its warm atmosphere, crisp cocktails and delicious assortment of American fare.
    — Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Jim Boscov, chairman and CEO at Boscov’s, said the retailer has always been differentiated on value, assortment and service.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of assortment
Verb
  • The fight between a small Georgia community and tech giant Meta has escalated this week after four families filed a lawsuit against the company alleging a central Georgia data center project has contaminated their water and ruined their home values.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Gen, forgetting her swollen wrist, perks up at the thought of having a new person to ruin sheets with.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruin
Noun
  • The music — a medley of the Netflix series’ score and soundtrack — will drive the storyline and energy of scenes, while also melding with the pattern of dialog in the clips, creating a natural flow to the show.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Join the event trackside as top local restaurants and legendary pitmasters fire up the grills to serve a mouth-watering medley of smoky, savory BBQ (available for purchase) alongside a full day of thrilling horse racing.
    — Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of medley

Browse Nearby Words

botanicals
botch
botched
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/botch. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All