Standard Lemma guide

bungling

adj · noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: B AH1 NG G AH0 L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: B AH1 NG G L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Incompetent or inept.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Harry made a bungling attempt to catch the ball.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An act of incompetence or ineptitude.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Your bungling nearly cost us our jobs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

present participle and gerund of bungle

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands- Mary H. Vorse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a bumbling mechanic
  • a bungling performance
  • ham-handed governmental interference
  • could scarcely empty a scuttle of ashes, so handless was the poor creature

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bumbling, butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, left-handed

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

showing lack of skill or aptitude

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a bungling workman
  • did a clumsy job
  • his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: clumsy, fumbling, incompetent

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the verb bungle.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: incompetent — incompetence
  • Dutch: onbekwaam — incompetence
  • Finnish: hutilointi — incompetence
  • Hungarian: kontárság — incompetence
  • Icelandic: hálfkák — incompetence
  • Irish: útamáil — incompetence
  • Polish: nieudolność — incompetence
  • Polish: niekompetencja — incompetence
  • Portuguese: deslize — incompetence
  • Portuguese: gafe — incompetence