Definitions

drop the ball

VERB

blunder

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bumble bungle err flounder

STRONG

blow bobble botch confuse flub fumble misjudge stumble

WEAK

ball up foul up gum up louse up mess up screw up slip up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

do well succeed

WEAK

correct fix restore

VERB

bungle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

botch err flub fudge gum up miscalculate mishandle mismanage muff screw up

STRONG

boggle butcher fumble mar ruin spoil

WEAK

ball up foul up goof up louse up make a mess of mess up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

succeed

STRONG

grow help

WEAK

do well fix manage

VERB

err

Synonyms

STRONGEST

misbehave miscalculate stray stumble

STRONG

blow blunder bollix deviate fall flub goof lapse misapprehend misjudge muff offend sin snafu transgress trespass wander

WEAK

be in error be inaccurate be incorrect be mistaken foul up go astray go wrong louse up make a mess of mess up screw up slip up snarl up

Antonyms

STRONG

behave obey stay

WEAK

correct

VERB

falter

Synonyms

STRONGEST

flounder hesitate reel waver wobble

STRONG

bobble break fluctuate fluff halt lurch quaver rock roll scruple shake stagger stammer teeter topple totter tremble vacillate

WEAK

be undecided hem and haw speak haltingly stub toe trip up whiffle

Antonyms

STRONG

calm hold remain stabilize stay steady

WEAK

continue endure maintain persist

VERB

flounder

Synonyms

STRONGEST

flop stumble wallow

STRONG

blunder bobble flummox fumble grope labor lurch muddle plunge pratfall snafu strive thrash toil toss travail tumble

WEAK

cast about come apart at the seams fall down foul up go at backwards go to pieces make a mess of miss one's cue screw up slip up stub one's toe trip up work at

Antonyms

STRONG

idle laze

WEAK

do well succeed

VERB

miscalculate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

err misconstrue misinterpret misjudge misread misunderstand overestimate overrate overvalue underestimate undervalue

STRONG

blow blunder discount disregard miscount overlook stumble underrate

WEAK

get signals crossed get wrong go wrong mess up misreckon miss by a mile mix up slip up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

get perceive understand

STRONG

attend pay attention regard respect

WEAK

do correctly figure correctly succeed

VERB

misestimate

Synonyms

STRONG

blow blunder discount disregard err misconstrue miscount misinterpret misjudge misread misunderstand overestimate overlook overrate overvalue stumble underestimate underrate undervalue

WEAK

get signals crossed get wrong go wrong mess up misreckon miss by a mile mix up slip up

Antonyms

STRONG

attend correct exaggerate get overrate pay attention perceive regard respect understand

VERB

misjudge

Synonyms

STRONGEST

miscalculate misconstrue misunderstand overestimate overrate underestimate

STRONG

dogmatize err misapprehend misconceive mistake prejudge presume presuppose stumble suppose underrate

WEAK

bark up wrong tree be misled be overcritical be partial be unfair be wrong come to hasty conclusion miscomprehend misconjecture misdeem misreckon miss by a mile misthink put foot in

Antonyms

STRONGEST

get perceive understand

STRONG

comprehend disbelieve

WEAK

figure judge well

VERB

misreckon

Synonyms

WEAK

blow blunder discount disregard err get signals crossed get wrong go wrong mess up misconstrue miscount misestimate misinterpret misjudge misread miss by a mile misunderstand mix up overestimate overlook overrate overvalue slip up stumble underestimate underrate undervalue

VERB

miss

Synonyms

STRONG

blow blunder botch disregard drop err flub forget fumble ignore juggle lose miscarry misfire mislay misplace muff neglect omit overlook overshoot skip slight slip trip undershoot

WEAK

be late for fall flat on face fall short let go let slip pass over pass up trip up

Antonyms

STRONG

accomplish achieve attend correct do do well face find fix heed keep look at meet note notice pay attention regard remember respect succeed

VERB

muff

Synonyms

STRONGEST

botch flub fumble mishandle

STRONG

blunder boggle choke err miscalculate mismanage slip

WEAK

foul up goof up make a mess of mess up screw up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

do well

STRONG

correct

VERB

slip

Synonyms

STRONGEST

stumble

STRONG

blunder fail flub fluff goof miscalculate misjudge miss mistake muff trip

WEAK

go wrong make a mistake put foot in mouth slip up

Antonyms

STRONG

correct fix

WEAK

perfect

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

drop the ball

Did the Dodgers drop the ball by not providing Roman with authentication?

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2024

“The football gods laugh at us and drop the ball in at the 1-inch line for us to go have to win the game,” coach Michael Locksley said.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 18, 2023

"It was definitely the most tense moment - I was just so glad to see Radradra drop the ball."

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2023

"Governments cannot drop the ball," Van Kerkhove said, adding that the coronavirus continues to circulate, evolve, infect and kill people.

From Reuters ● Aug. 24, 2023

I wasn’t going to drop the ball on any of it.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

drop the ball

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words