fumble

verb
UK: /ˈfʌm.bl̩/
US: /ˈfʌm.bəl/

  1. To move awkwardly when trying to hold something.

    1. I fumble with my keys, dropping them.
    2. He began to fumble in his pockets for a cigarette, clearly nervous about something.

  2. To do something awkwardly, especially when using your hands.

    1. She fumble with the lock, unable to open it.
    2. The politician fumbled his lines during the debate, appearing unprepared and nervous.

  3. To fail to catch or hold a ball cleanly in sports.

    1. He fumble the ball and lost the game.
    2. The wide receiver fumbled the pass in the end zone, costing his team a touchdown.

Synonyms

stumble mishandle bungle botch
fumble noun

  1. An act of clumsily handling or dropping something.

    1. It was a fumble, and they lost.
    2. The quarterback's fumble in the fourth quarter sealed the team's defeat.

  2. A clumsy or awkward action.

    1. Her fumble with the microphone was embarrasing.
    2. His fumble with the proposal was a failure and a setback for the project.

  3. In sports, an act of dropping the ball.

    1. The fumble gave the other team possession.
    2. The team recovered from the fumble, ultimately winning the championship game.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "fumble" in English means: To move awkwardly when trying to hold something., To do something awkwardly, especially when using your hands., To fail to catch or hold a ball cleanly in sports..

The phonetic transcription of "fumble" is /ˈfʌm.bl̩/ in British English and /ˈfʌm.bəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "fumble": stumble, mishandle, bungle, botch.

Example usage of "fumble": "I fumble with my keys, dropping them.". More examples on the page.