goof (up)

verb

Definition of goof (up)next
1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake we must have goofed up somewhere, because this cake clearly didn't turn out right

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way he goofed up his first sale at the dealership

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for goof (up)
  1. fumble
  2. blow
  3. trip
  4. screw up
  5. stumble
  6. ruin
  7. slip up
  8. foul up
Verb
  • But when Kansas fumbled the snap on a punt, resulting in a safety, Kansas State was able to take an 18-17 lead to the locker room.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Stockton, who also threw two interceptions, fumbled on a run from the Auburn 46.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But head coach Ben Johnson isn't going to be happy that his team nearly blew a 24-point lead with just over 12 minutes to go.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • And maybe trips like this can help the nomad way of life survive.
    — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Up until tonight, Raman has done a good job of communicating a message of hope and change, while Bass, as the incumbent, has repeatedly tripped on her record over the biblically bad four years of her first term.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of trip
Verb
  • Dallas is going to be better, but the Cowboys always screw up.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • That doesn’t mean the Yankees screwed up in their process by trading for Stanton.
    — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of screw up
Verb
  • Resendiz finished strongly, sending Mazoudier stumbling backward in the final minute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.
    — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumble
Verb
  • Artificial, though, ends with a scene that convincingly conveys the extent to which AI will ruin all our lives.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Civic, before it was smashed and ruined, had been a private world, an extension of myself.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • The Iberians slipped up big time in their first match of the tournament, being shocked by Switzerland 1-0, bringing back ghosts of tournament failures past for Spanish fans.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • But for taxpayers with a solid compliance history who slip up once, automatically applying relief—instead of reserving it for those who know to ask—is a welcome change.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of slip up
Verb
  • Then police closed that, too — at midafternoon Tuesday after a report of a suspicious package — fouling up traffic for New Yorkers even more.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In the end, though, neither an explosion nor a giant spill of fluid that could foul up waterways and the ocean occurred.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Definition of foul up
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.

Browse Nearby Words

goofs (up)
goof (up)
goofy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Goof (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goof%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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