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Definitions

screw up

VERB
make a mess of
Synonyms
STRONGEST
botch bungle confuse flub muddle spoil
WEAK
blow bobble bollix foul up goof goof up louse make hash of mess mess up mishandle mismanage muck up muff snafu
Antonyms
STRONGEST
clear up do well enlighten explain order organize succeed

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.

"I was able to screw up as a teenager and not have it filmed and amplified all over the place."

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Logs can smoosh as they chill; imprecise slices screw up bake times.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

“I catch crocodiles, and a crocodile has never managed to screw up my ribs like that,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2025

In other words: “We screwed up, but we can screw up better.”

From MarketWatch • Oct. 27, 2025

“You can’t know for sure how something like this will work. It’s only a one-percent chance, but it could screw up her brain forever.”

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld