screw up

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.

Not only does it screw up seasonal adjustments, but many laid-off workers tend to wait until after the holiday to apply for benefits.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

No one can focus on how the Giants and Jets will screw up their picks in the NFL draft.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

"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

“If we screw up and can’t fix it, we should fail, and other companies will continue on doing good work and servicing customers,” Altman wrote in a lengthy X post.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

What you avoid when you don’t meet someone face-to-face are all the confusing and complicated and ultimately irrelevant pieces of information that can serve to screw up your judgment.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell