Meaning & use
Fumbling
Last updated
Handling something clumsily or awkwardly, or moving unsteadily in an attempt to grasp or find something.
See it in a sentence
He was fumbling with his keys in the dark, unable to find the right one.
The rookie quarterback kept fumbling the ball under pressure.
A note on using this word
Can describe both physical clumsiness, as with objects, and verbal or social awkwardness, as in 'fumbling for words.'
Words with a similar meaning
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Another way to use it
2. verb
Speaking or acting hesitantly and awkwardly, especially due to nervousness or lack of preparation.
She kept fumbling through her presentation, losing her train of thought.
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