bumbling 1 of 2

verb (1)

Definition of bumblingnext
present participle of bumble
as in humming
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bumbling

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of bumble
1
as in fumbling
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way accused the White House staff of bumbling the announcement of the replacement for the cabinet post

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stumbling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chatting
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bumbling
Verb
The pair come off less as cybercriminal masterminds than as galumphing galoots—that is to say, a pair of bumbling oafs who thought that asking AI how to cover their tracks was going to keep them out of federal prison. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026 There’s no kids club or even pool in this boutique hotel, but that didn’t stop my kids from bumbling around and feeling at ease in an upscale environment. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026 Perhaps this all was unavoidable for a proud player and often bumbling franchise. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026 Kevin's dream of being home alone quickly turns into a hilarious nightmare and battle of wits when a pair of bumbling thieves attempts to break into his house. — Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026 The Kings were booed off the floor Wednesday after bumbling their way through the team’s second-worst homestand of at least four games since February 2021. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2025 In true Reichardt fashion, the driving force of the film is not the crime itself, which takes place in bumbling fashion in the first third, but what happens afterward. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025 Stars from Christmas Vacation and the original National Lampoon's Vacation reunited at a panel at Chicago Fan Expo earlier this month, where Randy Quaid and Beverly D'Angelo both recalled the Fletch star's difficulties portraying bumbling patriarch Clark Griswold during the 1989 holiday sequel. — Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumbling
  1. humming
  2. fumbling
  3. stumbling
  4. chatting
  5. buzzing
  6. bungling
  7. struggling
  8. drooling
Verb
  • Consider an administrative assistant who has spent a decade keeping a department humming along.
    — Eric Kutcher, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Once the fabrics and jewelry started coming in from the Chanel Patrimoine, the old alchemy started humming.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of humming
Verb
  • Specifically, Nico Iamaleava struggled, fumbling once and throwing interceptions to Oregon’s Koi Perich and Jerry Mixon.
    — Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Fittingly, the game ended on Oregon fumbling while trying to run a series of laterals down the field as time expired.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of fumbling
Verb
  • Unlike every other film genre, the history of horror, at least since the 1950s, is a story of amateurs stumbling in the dark.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Instead of stumbling like the Phillies and Cubs, the Padres surged and took with them the #1 Wild Card spot, earning the right to host this series.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of stumbling
Verb
  • In another scene, a group of climbers are chatting together next to a cluster of tents.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Dean Fryer, the restaurant’s namesake, nursed a pint outside while chatting with creative director Nicholas Blechman.
    — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of chatting
Verb
  • Continue reading … -- IN OTHER NEWS READING THE SIGNS — Tyreek Hill posts message after Chiefs receivers go down and fans are buzzing.
    — , FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • One of the acts that made a big impression on the youngsters was the Allen Tolbert Unit, whose namesake would captivate them by buzzing up and down his guitar fretboard like a hummingbird in flight.
    — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of buzzing
Verb
  • 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
  • San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who polled at 5% in the CBS survey, accused Becerra of bungling the federal government’s response to COVID-19, mpox and the influx in child migrants under former President Joe Biden.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of bungling
Verb
  • Mitchell-Namdar said Pink Aid’s mission is to provide emergency aid assistance to those struggling during treatment, whether that means paying an electric bill, rent, offering wigs or lymphedema sleeves.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Many mid- and late-career working-class comics who would normally build the bridge to younger generations are struggling to make a living.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of struggling
Verb
  • Mix these finds into your work wardrobe or your off-duty ensembles—they’re versatile enough to do it all, and the festive palette is worth drooling over.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026
  • There was one of Melissa Gorga’s sprinkle cookies ground into the carpet, and there was Kelsey Swanson, passed out under the piano and drooling on the parquet.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of drooling

Browse Nearby Words

bumbles
bumbling
bumboat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumbling. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All