BUMBLE Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

bumble 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈbəm-bəl

Definition of bumble

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

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bumble

2 of 2

verb (2)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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 bumble

Verb

There’s no kids club or even pool in this boutique hotel, but that didn’t stop my kids from bumbling around and feeling at ease in an upscale environment. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026 Lori seems to be a bit of a blank slate, both to Julian’s bumbling children and to Julian himself, who thinks Lori has been hired as his assistant to help manage his affairs and sort through the paintings littering his crumbling abode. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for bumble

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumble

Verb

While the business continues to hum along, competition is on the horizon from Advanced Micro Devices, Google and others.

— Kif Leswing, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Wi-Fi networks already hum away in homes, offices, airports, cafes, and shops worldwide, giving a technique like this enormous potential reach.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of hum

Verb

Most critics of judicial supremacy stumble over the fact that a strong Court sometimes benefits their side.

— Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Analysis from Zeki Data shows that where OpenAI and Anthropic are making gains in the AI talent market, Google DeepMind (and to some extent Meta) are stumbling.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of stumble

Verb

The monsters of the original — the Cyclops and the sirens — are replaced by drones that buzz across the stage and models of robotic war machines.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
And as Forte mentioned, the film is being released amid glowing reviews and very positive audience buzz.

— Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of buzz

Verb

It’s been a decade since the company best known for sucking up hair balls and dust bunnies blew with great force into the beauty business.

— Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
The Las Vegas spectacle, which opened to the public in August 2025, already blows audiences around with tornado-force wind, shakes them with haptic seats, sends giant winged monkeys flying overhead and drops hundreds of foam apples from the ceiling.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of blow

Verb

Three days later, the team brought in Moody, the former Michigan standout who has also struggled at times in his young career.

— Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Restaurants and private grocery stores are struggling to stay open because of higher supply costs and lower consumption.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of struggle

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bum (around)

bumble

bumbled

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“Bumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumble. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of bumble

verb (1)

verb (2)

Example Sentences

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