screw up

verb

1. to twist out of shape or distort
2. to summon up or call upon

   to screw up one's courage

3. informal.
   also intr to mishandle or make a mess (of)
4. informal.
   often passive to cause to become very anxious, confused, or nervous

   he is really screwed up about his exams

noun

1. slang.
   something mishandled or done badly

Example Sentences

This left Kamala Harris little time to stand up a campaign and message, or to discover who she was as a candidate beyond someone who’s just trying too hard not to screw up.

From Slate

Taverner is icy “so when she does screw up, something slips out, it’s a sort of embarrassment — using the words of common people.”

From Los Angeles Times

“When I was bringing new clients on board, half of my mind would be saying, ‘we're going to screw up’, and it would dampen my enthusiasm.”

From BBC

“The vice president can’t say, ‘The president was about to screw up and I told him don’t do that and the sun came out the next day.’”

From Los Angeles Times

We only hear about it when they screw up.

From Slate

Related Words

• botch
• bungle
• confuse
• flub
• muddle
• spoil