fumble

[ fuhm-buhl ]

verb (used without object)

, fum·bled, fum·bling.

1. to feel or grope about clumsily:

   She fumbled in her purse for the keys.

2. Sports. to fumble the ball.

verb (used with object)

, fum·bled, fum·bling.

1. to make, handle, etc., clumsily or inefficiently:

   to fumble an attempt; He fumbled his way through the crowded room.

   Synonyms: muff, spoil, mishandle, botch, bungle

2. Sports. to fail to hold or maintain hold on (a ball) after having touched it or carried it.

noun

1. the act of fumbling:

   We completed the difficult experiment without a fumble.

2. Sports. an act or instance of fumbling the ball.

fumble

/ ˈfʌmbəl /

verb

1. intr; often foll by for or with to grope about clumsily or blindly, esp in searching

   he was fumbling in the dark for the money he had dropped

2. intr; foll by at or with to finger or play with, esp in an absent-minded way
3. to say or do hesitantly or awkwardly

   he fumbled the introduction badly

4. to fail to catch or grasp (a ball, etc) cleanly

noun

1. the act of fumbling

Derived Forms

• ˈfumbler, noun
• ˈfumblingly, adverb
• ˈfumblingness, noun

Other Words From

• fumbler noun
• fumbling·ly adverb
• fumbling·ness noun
• outfumble verb (used with object) outfumbled outfumbling
• un·fumbled adjective
• un·fumbling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fumble¹

1500–10; akin to Norwegian, Swedish fumla, Middle Low German fummeln to grope, fumble

Word History and Origins

Origin of fumble¹

C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Swedish fumla

Example Sentences

In the second quarter, Verse sacked Tagovailoa and forced a fumble that he also recovered at the Dolphins’ 36-yard line.

From Los Angeles Times

Christian Rozeboom intercepted Tagovailoa early in the second quarter to set them up to capture the momentum … and yet moments later they gave it back on a Williams fumble.

From Los Angeles Times

The Rams recorded three sacks, including one by rookie edge rusher Jared Verse that forced a fumble.

From Los Angeles Times

Caden Sliowski returned a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown.

From Los Angeles Times

But Johnson’s touchdown and a lost fumble by Serra as it was driving proved too costly.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• botch
• flub
• mishandle
• screw up
• stumble