bungle Hear it!

bungle Definition

bun·gle (buŋgəl)

transitive verb -·gled, -·gling

to spoil by clumsy work or action; botch

Etymology: < ? Swed bangla, to work ineffectually

intransitive verb

to do or make things badly or clumsily

noun

  1. a bungling, or clumsy, act
  2. a bungled piece of work

bungle Related Forms

bun·gler noun bun·glingly adverb

bungle Synonyms

bungle

v.

bungle Usage Examples

Object

  • robbery: Suzie is just in the wrong place at the wrong time when the bungled robbery takes place.
  • burglary: Both witness to a bungled burglary, they are unknowingly being hunted by a hit man.
  • raid: Anger mounting at bungled police raid ANGER IS still mounting at the police dawn raid in Forest Gate.
  • attempt: He too first came to the fore in November 1963 during his bungled attempt to burgle the home of historian David Irving.
  • operation: Scores more were left brain damaged after bungled operations.
  • job: A vet was called to finish the bungled job of killing the dog.

Converse of object

make: The thing is, the Eurocrats have made a total bungle of explaining what the Construction Products Directive is.

Adjective modifier

  • big: Big Brother's big bungles How a private ID scheme could protect your rights.
  • major: Within the past couple of days in my area alone, I have come across three major bungles, including one of identity theft.

Modifying Another Word

  • badly: At the trial of the Houndsditch murderers there was a badly bungled prosecution.
  • again: Here, an interesting lack of congruity between animals and humans again bungled the stream of revelation.

Preposition: in

jungle: About King Leo There's been a bungle in the jungle!

Browse dictionary entries near bungle

  1. bunghole
  2. bungee cord
  3. bungalow
  4. bung
  5. Bundt
  6. bundled service
  7. bundled
  8. bundle up
  9. bundle
  10. Bundestag
  1. bungler
  2. bungling
  3. Bunin
  4. bunion
  5. bunk
  6. bunk bed
  7. bunker
  8. Bunker Hill
  9. bunker mentality
  10. bunkhouse