Bumbles — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈbəm-bəl/ bum·ble

Meaning & Definition of Bumbles

Bumbles (verb)

  1. buzz
  2. drone, rumble
  3. blunder; specifically, to speak ineptly in a stuttering and faltering manner
  4. to proceed unsteadily, stumble
  5. bungle

Bumbles (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound

    "a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep"

    similar: burrs, buzzes, drones, hums, whirs, whishes, whizzes, zips, zooms
    related: chirrs, churrs, thrums, fizzes, hisses, murmurs, purrs, rustles, sighs, sizzles, swishes, whispers, coos, currs, wheezes, whistles, whooshes

  2. to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

    "accused the White House staff of bumbling the announcement of the replacement for the cabinet post"

    similar: blows, bobbles, boggles, bollixes (up), boots, botches, buggers (up), bungles, butchers, dubs, flubs, fluffs, foozles, fouls up, fumbles, goofs (up), louses up, mangles, messes (up), mucks up, muffs, murders, screws up
    related: blunders, gums (up), muddles, piffles, blemishes, blights, damages, flaws, harms, hurts, impairs, injures, mars, mutilates, ruins, spoils, vitiates, destroys, wrecks, mishandles, mismanages
    near: ameliorates, betters, enhances, helps, improves, meliorates, rectifies, refines, reforms, remedies, doctors, fixes, patches, reconditions, renovates, repairs, revamps

  3. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

    "I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end"

    similar: blunders, flogs (British), flounders, limps, lumbers, plods, struggles, stumbles, trudges
    related: jogs, shambles, shuffles, wallows, welters, falters, lurches, reels, staggers, sways, teeters, totters, fumbles, muddles
    near: coasts, flies, glides, kilts, sails, zips, zooms

  4. to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly

    "overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech"

    similar: babbles, chats, chatters, drivels, drools, gabbles, gibbers, jabbers, prattles, sputters
    related: blabbers, blathers, bleats, blithers, gabs, jangles, jaws, patters, prates, rattles, runs on, smatters, tittle-tattles, trolls, yaks, chunters (British), maunders, mouths, mumbles, murmurs, mutters, stammers, stutters, screeches, shouts, shrieks
    near: articulates, enunciates, pronounces

Related Entry: Bumble (verb)

Bumble is a different word from Bumbles. The synonyms below are for bumble, not for bumbles.

  1. to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound

    "a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep"

    similar: burr, buzz, drone, hum, whir, whish, whiz, zip, zoom
    related: chirr, churr, thrum, fizz, hiss, murmur, purr, rustle, sigh, sizzle, swish, whisper, coo, curr, wheeze, whistle, whoosh

Related Entry: Bumble (verb)

Bumble is a different word from Bumbles. The synonyms below are for bumble, not for bumbles.

  1. to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

    "accused the White House staff of bumbling the announcement of the replacement for the cabinet post"

    similar: blow, bobble, boggle, bollix (up), boot, botch, bugger (up), bungle, butcher, dub, flub, fluff, foozle, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mangle, mess (up), muck up, muff, murder, screw up
    related: blunder, gum (up), muddle, piffle, blemish, blight, damage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, mutilate, ruin, spoil, vitiate, destroy, wreck, mishandle, mismanage
    near: ameliorate, better, enhance, help, improve, meliorate, rectify, refine, reform, remedy, doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp

  2. to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

    "I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end"

    similar: blunder, 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

  3. to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly

    "overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech"

    similar: babble, chat, chatter, drivel, drool, gabble, gibber, jabber, prattle, sputter
    related: blabber, blather, bleat, blither, gab, jangle, jaw, patter, prate, rattle, run on, smatter, tittle-tattle, troll, yak, chunter (British), maunder, mouth, mumble, murmur, mutter, stammer, stutter, screech, shout, shriek
    near: articulate, enunciate, pronounce

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bumbles

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bumbles:

British: flogs
burrs, buzzes, drones, hums, whirs, whishes, whizzes, zips, zooms, blows, bobbles, boggles, bollixes (up), boots, botches, buggers (up), bungles, butchers, dubs, flubs, fluffs, foozles, fouls up, fumbles, goofs (up), louses up, mangles, messes (up), mucks up, muffs, murders, screws up, blunders, flounders, limps, lumbers, plods, struggles, stumbles, trudges

Related Words for Bumbles

chirrs, churrs, thrums, fizzes, hisses, murmurs, purrs, rustles, sighs, sizzles, swishes, whispers, coos, currs, wheezes, whistles, whooshes, gums (up), muddles, piffles, blemishes, blights, damages, flaws, harms, hurts, impairs, injures, mars, mutilates

Near Antonyms of Bumbles

ameliorates, betters, enhances, helps, improves, meliorates, rectifies, refines, reforms, remedies, doctors, fixes, patches, reconditions, renovates, repairs, revamps, coasts, flies, glides, kilts, sails, zips, zooms, articulates, enunciates, pronounces

Word Forms of Bumbles

Inflections: bumbled, bumbling

Derived words: bumbler (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Bumbles

Middle English bomblen to boom, of imitative origin

First known use: 1689

Frequently Asked Questions about Bumbles

What does "Bumbles" mean?

"Bumbles" means buzz. As a verb, it is defined as: buzz. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bumbles"?

Other words for "Bumbles" include burrs, buzzes, drones, hums, whirs, whishes, whizzes and zips. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bumbles" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bumbles"?

There are 125 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bumbles". Common alternatives include burrs, buzzes, drones, hums, whirs, whishes, whizzes, zips, zooms and blows.

How do you use "Bumbles" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bumbles" in a sentence: "a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep"; "accused the White House staff of bumbling the announcement of the replacement for the cabinet post"; "I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end".

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

"Bumbles" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Bumbles"?

"Bumbles" is pronounced /ˈbəm-bəl/ and divided into syllables as bum·ble.

What is the origin of the word "Bumbles"?

"Bumbles" comes from Middle English bomblen to boom, of imitative origin. First known use: 1689.

What is another word for "Bumbles" meaning "to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound"?

When "Bumbles" (verb) means to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound, synonyms include burrs, buzzes, drones, hums, whirs and whishes.