Blunder — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈblən-dər/ blun·der

Meaning & Definition of Blunder

Blunder (verb)

  1. to move unsteadily or confusedly
  2. to make a mistake through stupidity, ignorance, or carelessness
  3. to utter stupidly, confusedly, or thoughtlessly

Blunder (noun)

  1. a gross error or mistake resulting usually from stupidity, ignorance, or carelessness

Blunder (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy

    "fixed a minor blunder in the advertising flyer"

    similar: bobble, boo-boo, boob (British), brick, clanger (British), clinker, error, fault, flub, fluff, fumble, gaff, gaffe, goof, inaccuracy, lapse, miscue, misstep, mistake, oversight, screwup, slip, slipup, stumble, trip
    related: bloomer, blooper, boner, howler, pratfall, foul-up, snafu, misapprehension, miscalculation, miscomprehension, misconception, misconstruction, misdescription, misimpression, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misreading, misstatement, misunderstanding
    near: accuracy, correctness, exactitude, exactness, preciseness, precision, strictness, inerrancy, infallibility, perfection

Blunder (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make a mistake

    "even though the prosecution had blundered several times in presenting its case, it ultimately prevailed"

    similar: boob (British), err, flub, fluff, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), screw up, slip up, stumble, trip, drop the ball, lay an egg
    related: nod, bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, foozle, mangle, mishandle, muff, murder, miscalculate, misconceive, miscount, miscue, misdeem, misgauge, misjudge, mistake, misconstrue, misinterpret, misunderstand

  2. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

    "blundered his way through an acceptance speech"

    similar: bumble, flog (British), flounder, limp, lumber, plod, struggle, stumble, trudge
    related: jog, shamble, shuffle, wallow, welter, falter, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, fumble, muddle
    near: coast, fly, glide, kilt, sail, zip, zoom

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Blunder

The most common words with a similar meaning to Blunder:

British: boob, clanger, flog
bobble, boo-boo, brick, clinker, error, fault, flub, fluff, fumble, gaff, gaffe, goof, inaccuracy, lapse, miscue, misstep, mistake, oversight, screwup, slip, slipup, stumble, trip, err, foul up, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), screw up, slip up, bumble, flounder, limp, lumber, plod, struggle, trudge, drop the ball, lay an egg

Related Words for Blunder

bloomer, blooper, boner, howler, pratfall, foul-up, snafu, misapprehension, miscalculation, miscomprehension, misconception, misconstruction, misdescription, misimpression, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misreading, misstatement, misunderstanding, nod, botch, bungle, butcher, foozle, mangle, mishandle, muff, murder, miscalculate, misconceive

Near Antonyms of Blunder

accuracy, correctness, exactitude, exactness, preciseness, precision, strictness, inerrancy, infallibility, perfection, coast, fly, glide, kilt, sail, zip, zoom

Word Forms of Blunder

Inflections: blundered, blundering

Derived words: blunderer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Blunder

Middle English blundren, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse blunda to shut one's eyes, doze, Norwegian dialect blundra

First known use: 14th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Blunder

Frequently Asked Questions about Blunder

What does "Blunder" mean?

"Blunder" means to move unsteadily or confusedly. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to move unsteadily or confusedly. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Blunder"?

Other words for "Blunder" include bobble, boo-boo, boob, brick, clanger, clinker, error and fault. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Blunder" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Blunder"?

There are 92 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Blunder". Common alternatives include bobble, boo-boo, boob, brick, clanger, clinker, error, fault, flub and fluff.

How do you use "Blunder" in a sentence?

Examples of "Blunder" in a sentence: "fixed a minor blunder in the advertising flyer"; "even though the prosecution had blundered several times in presenting its case, it ultimately prevailed"; "blundered his way through an acceptance speech".

Is "Blunder" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Blunder" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Blunder" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Blunder" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Blunder"?

"Blunder" is pronounced /ˈblən-dər/ and divided into syllables as blun·der.

What is the origin of the word "Blunder"?

"Blunder" comes from Middle English blundren, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse blunda to shut one's eyes, doze, Norwegian dialect blundra. First known use: 14th centuryi.