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screwing up

VERB

make a mess of

Synonyms

STRONGEST

botch bungle confuse flub muddle spoil

WEAK

blow bobble bollix foul up goof goof up louse make hash of mess mess up mishandle mismanage muck up muff snafu

Antonyms

STRONGEST

clear up do well enlighten explain order organize succeed

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.

“You can’t have a career without having stumbles or screwing up — that’s just part of life,” he tells me.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025

"We need to refocus our efforts on screwing up mitosis -- on making chromosomal segregation worse."

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023

My fear is, I'm just going to lose control and speak in tongues or say the wrong thing and get suspended for screwing up some massively important live special event like Kobe Bryant's helicopter crash.

From Salon • Sep. 18, 2023

The awkwardness of screwing up in front of strangers, butchering their language and sweating while you raid the mind’s dusty corners for a verb conjugation, is not to be found here.

From Slate • Jul. 25, 2023

Through the streets of the terrifying city, amid the unaccustomed traffic and crowds, screwing up our courage each time we asked our way, we went slowly along.

From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya