flub

1 of 2

verb

ˈfləb How to pronounce flub (audio)
flubbed; flubbing
Synonyms of flub

transitive verb

: to make a mess of : botch
flubbed my lines

intransitive verb

: blunder

flub

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of flubbing : blunder

Synonyms of flub

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Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of flub in a Sentence

Verb The ball went right to him but he flubbed the catch. The actress flubbed several lines. Noun when she was told her information was wrong, she apologized for the flub and immediately corrected it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Joel Eriksson Ek cleared the zone but flubbed the clear and didn’t send it the length of the ice. — Michael Russo, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026 Then, just to flub any chance for enjoying some dumb fun with a skilled cast hamming it up, the sloppy story grinds the all-too-predictable, all-too-lame whodunit to a halt, as well. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
There have been some embarrassing flubs. — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 22 May 2026 Faizan’s flub let his two remaining competitors back in, since all three misspelled during the round. — Ben Nuckols, Fortune, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for flub

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flub was in 1900

Browse Nearby Words

fluavil
flub
flubdub
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flub. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

flub

verb
ˈfləb
flubbed; flubbing
: botch, bungle
flub noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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