fumble
Drop the pigskin
To fumble is to handle something clumsily or grope about uncertainly: She fumbled for the light switch in the dark.
You fumble with keys, buttons, or words when coordination fails you.
In American football, to fumble is to drop the ball while in play—a costly error.
The noun fumble names such an instance: The fumble cost them the game.
Figuratively, fumbling suggests ineptitude: He fumbled his way through the presentation.
Act clumsily or incompetently
- stumbleLose footing momentarily
- flounderStruggle awkwardly, or seafood
- botchSpoil through incompetence
- flubClumsy error
mishandle · bobble · butterfingers · uncoordinated · awkward · maladroit · ham-handed · ungainly
Speak with involuntary repetitions
- stutterInvoluntary speech repetition
- stumbleLose footing momentarily
- falterLose momentum or steadiness
- hesitatePause in uncertainty
mumble · splutter · tongue-tied · garble · mispronounce · babble · hem · haw
Sales volume or attrition
- loose ballUncontrolled game sphere
- recoverRegain health or possession
- snapSudden sharp sound
- handoffDirect physical exchange
quarterback · pigskin · gridiron · possession · stripped · dropped · bobbled · cough up
bumble
Act clumsily or incompetently
- stumbleLose footing momentarily
- flounderStruggle awkwardly, or seafood
- botchSpoil through incompetence
flub · mishandle · bobble · butterfingers · uncoordinated · awkward · maladroit · ham-handed · ungainly · oafish
stammer
Speak with involuntary repetitions
- stutterInvoluntary speech repetition
- stumbleLose footing momentarily
- falterLose momentum or steadiness
hesitate · mumble · splutter · tongue-tied · garble · mispronounce · babble · hem · haw · incoherent
grope
Feel about blindly
grasp · pat · scrabble · rummage · fish · paw · probe · root · scramble · dig
turnover
Sales volume or attrition
- loose ballUncontrolled game sphere
- recoverRegain health or possession
- snapSudden sharp sound
handoff · quarterback · pigskin · gridiron · possession · stripped · dropped · bobbled · cough up · live ball
- clumsinessclumsiness, awkwardness, stumble, slip, trip
- everyday mistakesslip, typos, trip, spelling errors, fall
- failuresfailure, failures, flop, flops, bust
- Incompetencefailure, botch, inability, ineptitude, cluelessness
- unsuccessful attemptsmiss, flop, misfire, botch, whiff
- oopsoops, whoops, whoopsie, oopsie, woopsie
fumblearticulate
Express clearly, or well-spoken
eloquent · fluent · smooth · glib · silver-tongued
- fumbled the bagSquandered a sure thing
- fumble the ball
- fumble the bagWaste a certain opportunity
- fumbling the bagFailing when victory's near
- fumble recoveryGaining possession after mishandle
- forced fumblesDefensive turnovers caused deliberately
fumbling, fumbled, fumbles, fumbler, fumblers, fumblingly, unfumbled, fumblings