Synonyms of botched

botched 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbächt 

as in clumsy

showing or marked by a lack of skill and tact (as in dealing with a situation)

a botched attempt to mend relations with our disaffected European allies

Synonyms & Similar Words

• clumsy
• awkward
• inept
• bungling
• inexperienced
• fumbled
• sloppy
• careless
• incompetent
• inexpert
• inefficient
• maladroit
• amateurish
• unprofessional
• unskilled
• unpolished
• ineffectual
• amateur
• green
• crude
• misguided
• ineffective
• misdirected
• tactless
• unskillful
• ill-advised
• tacky
• undiplomatic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deft
• able
• adroit
• facile
• professional
• competent
• capable
• skilled
• skillful
• clever
• masterful
• adept
• expert
• polished
• proficient
• talented
• accomplished
• masterly
• dexterous
• consummate
• easy
• diplomatic
• smooth
• gracious
• effortless
• tactful
• crackerjack

botched

2 of 2

verb

past tense of botch

as in fumbled

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

the first time we tried to make a cake, we botched the job completely

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumbled
• bungled
• blew
• ruined
• dubbed
• murdered
• mangled
• flubbed
• muffed
• butchered
• destroyed
• booted
• spoiled
• screwed up
• fluffed
• bumbled
• marred
• boggled
• bobbled
• damaged
• fouled up
• goofed (up)
• buggered (up)
• injured
• mucked up
• wrecked
• messed (up)
• foozled
• loused up
• flawed
• bollixed (up)
• blundered
• muddled
• impaired
• hurt
• mutilated
• harmed
• blighted
• gummed (up)
• mismanaged
• blemished
• vitiated
• piffled
• mishandled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improved
• enhanced
• helped
• refined
• remedied
• rectified
• reformed
• bettered
• ameliorated
• fixed
• repaired
• revamped
• renovated
• meliorated
• patched
• doctored
• reconditioned

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of botched

Adjective

The voter registration issue is not the first botched job by an outside vendor, which Johnson said the state has come to rely on more as Republicans have worked to shrink the government. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

In other words, Curtis’ hypothetical hinged on a somewhat ludicrous notion, which is to say if ESPN chose to revisit that botched experiment, McAfee would be the guy to take on the role as comic foil. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Verb

Some contractor, or postal maintenance employee, had botched the repair. — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

The tattoo has been arduous work for William, with setbacks and botched work taking up much of the past decade. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026