as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound
a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to fumble
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stumble
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to chat
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly
overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bumble
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Kevin's dream of being home alone quickly turns into a hilarious nightmare and battle of wits when a pair of bumbling thieves attempts to break into his house.
—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
The Kings were booed off the floor Wednesday after bumbling their way through the team’s second-worst homestand of at least four games since February 2021.
—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
13 Nov. 2025
In true Reichardt fashion, the driving force of the film is not the crime itself, which takes place in bumbling fashion in the first third, but what happens afterward.
—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bumble
Verb
Perhaps this all was unavoidable for a proud player and often bumbling franchise.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Kevin's dream of being home alone quickly turns into a hilarious nightmare and battle of wits when a pair of bumbling thieves attempts to break into his house.
—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
The Kings were booed off the floor Wednesday after bumbling their way through the team’s second-worst homestand of at least four games since February 2021.
—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
13 Nov. 2025
In true Reichardt fashion, the driving force of the film is not the crime itself, which takes place in bumbling fashion in the first third, but what happens afterward.
—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumble
Verb
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Increasingly, the crux of the debate around AI’s sustainability has been focused on data centers, which make the nebulous concept of AI very concrete with their massive, humming warehouses full of servers and huge energy requirements.
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Project Bluestem Data centers emit humming sounds from generators, fans and other equipment.
Verb
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But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.
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With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
Verb
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After a chance meeting saving the life of a reporter, Dez stumbles across a vast conspiracy and now must stop the forces intent on keeping their secrets safe.
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The hole was discovered in early April when a volunteer on a weekend cemetery clean-up day stumbled upon it.
Verb
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Serena’s name was on everyone’s lips, with fans chatting about the American’s chances and journalists jostling for position to get their hands on a reserved media seat.
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Craig joined us to chat about his new show, his love for America, and his experience with becoming an American citizen.
Verb
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For the most recent earnings season, these forecasting fruit flies buzzed around modeling 12% earnings growth for the quarter.
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As the train approaches Portland, the view shifts again, with bridges, waterways, and buzzing streets.
Verb
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One interception attempt resulted in a large explosion that spectacularly blew the roof off a fuel tank.
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After the final whistle blew and this Norway team had made history, Haaland took a moment and looked into the Norwegian cheering section, trying to process what had just happened.
Verb
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Acuff got off to a much better start after struggling to make shots in his summer league debut on Saturday.
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While San Francisco’s bullpen is struggling, Rogers is in the midst of another excellent season after signing a three-year, $37 million deal to join the defending American League champions.
Verb
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The youthful musicians chattered away like creatures of the Transylvanian night.
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That’s nothing more than a nonsensical, demonizing political narrative spewed by left-wing politicians and their brethren in the progressive chattering class.
Cite this Entry
“Bumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumble. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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