Pronunciation: /ˈfʌmbəl/

Definitions of fumble

noun a clumsy or awkward movement or action

Example Sentences

A1 I saw him fumble with the keys before unlocking the door.

A2 She made a fumble during the presentation, but quickly recovered.

B1 The quarterback's fumble cost the team the game.

B2 The politician's fumble during the debate became a viral meme.

C1 The CEO's fumble in handling the company's crisis led to her resignation.

C2 The author's fumble in the final chapter left readers disappointed.

verb to handle or deal with something clumsily or awkwardly, especially dropping or mishandling it

Example Sentences

A1 She fumbled with the keys trying to unlock the door.

A2 He fumbled the ball during the football game.

B1 The new employee fumbled through the presentation, but eventually found their rhythm.

B2 Despite his nerves, the musician did not fumble during the live performance.

C1 The experienced chef never fumbles in the kitchen, even under pressure.

C2 The politician fumbled his response to the controversial question, causing a stir in the media.

Examples of fumble in a Sentence

formal The quarterback's fumble cost the team the game.

informal I always fumble with my keys when I'm in a rush.

slang Don't fumble the ball, dude!

figurative She fumbled through her speech, unable to find the right words.

Grammatical Forms of fumble

past tense

fumbled

plural

fumbles

comparative

more fumbling

superlative

most fumbling

present tense

fumble

future tense

will fumble

perfect tense

have fumbled

continuous tense

is fumbling

singular

fumble

positive degree

fumble

infinitive

to fumble

gerund

fumbling

participle

fumbling

Origin and Evolution of fumble

First Known Use: 1300 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'fumble' originated from Middle English 'fomelen' which means to grope or feel about clumsily.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'fumble' has evolved to not only mean clumsily handling or dropping something, but also to refer to making mistakes or errors in general.