bumbles 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of bumble
as in hums
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound a fly bumbling around the room while we were trying to sleep

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bumbles

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of bumble
1
as in fumbles
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

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2
as in stumbles
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually I sort of bumbled through the dance number, hoping that it would soon end

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3
as in sputters
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly overcome with stage fright, I could only bumble through the speech

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bumbles
Verb
Despite the seeming horror of it all, the world just bumbles onwards. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumbles
  1. hums
  2. fumbles
  3. stumbles
  4. sputters
  5. buzzes
  6. blows
  7. struggles
  8. chats
Verb
  • Beneath it all hums the climate crisis, driving hotter, drier weather and pushing the water cycle off balance.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But the area has history, with an old town dating back to the Etruscans and a tranquil port that hums to life each morning with fishing boats.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hums
Verb
  • So the associate who fumbles a membership conversation doesn’t need a lecture.
    — Zaharia-Gabriel Sidere, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • DeLand was driving inside the 20 yard line and Taihj Moore fumbles, recovered by Lake Mary.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fumbles
Verb
  • Even as Heath stumbles his way through the lyrics, the audience respectfully claps along to the beat.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Lizard Music follows a boy (Theo Clark Leber) left to his own devices who stumbles upon a secret late-night broadcast of lizards playing otherworldly music, and a hidden door to the extraordinary swings open.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of stumbles
Verb
  • Instead, the ensuing spree sputters from one encounter to the next, leaving you with a choppy number that should go bigger and end sooner.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Texans are 0-3 for the straight year as the offense sputters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of sputters
Verb
  • Food and drink Throughout the day, The Bulgari Lounge buzzes with guests enjoying coffee, an afternoon aperitivo, or a post-dinner digestif.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Best Time To Visit As a lake town, Coeur d’Alene buzzes with activity in the summer months, but fall is arguably its best season.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of buzzes
Verb
  • Morgan blows a meeting with a publisher (Poorna Jagannathan, in her third of four high-profile TV role this year.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Miami fans had plenty to stress about as the UM offense misfired and Florida State responded to potential knockout blows with huge plays.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of blows
Verb
  • As energy supply struggles to keep pace with demand, those delays have drawn political attention and, finally, action, including significant legislation passed at the state level and a new bipartisan permitting reform bill proposed in the Senate.
    — Dr. Sarah Kapnick, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Toxic haze has covered parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for weeks as Jakarta struggles to contain fires that have scorched large tracts of Borneo and Sumatra, with the smoke drifting across the region.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • Afterward, everyone chats for a little while—a manageable dose of socializing for people who’d rather not work a crowded room.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Shuenemeyer regularly chats with other arborists from Maine to Washington, looking to identify and catalog historic varieties of apples.
    — Kevin Strong, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of chats

Browse Nearby Words

bumblers
bumbles
bumbling
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Cite this Entry

“Bumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumbles. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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