botch

1 of 3

verb

botched; botching; botches

transitive verb

1
: to foul up hopelessly
often used with up
2
: to put together in a makeshift way
botcher noun

botch

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
: something that is botched : mess
2
botchy adjective

botch

3 of 3

noun (2)

: an inflammatory sore

Examples of botch in a Sentence

Verb The store botched the order—I received only half the books I paid for. They clearly botched the investigation. Noun (1) this police procedural is basically a botch of plot elements stolen from other (and better) novels
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Deborah botches the presser that follows by refusing to respond to ageist, sexist questions with witty banter — a totally foreseeable scenario that Ava anticipated and prepared for, but Deborah tossed Ava’s jokes in the trash. Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025 To read Scott is to feel the fatalistic sense that civilization may have been botched from the beginning. Nikil Saval, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
Of the other methods – including electrocution, lethal gas and hanging – lethal injection had the highest botch rate of more than 7%. ‘An embrace of brutality’ Still, states have remained averse to the firing squad, a position that experts who spoke to CNN believe stems from its overt violence. Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025 Braden Mann’s botch of the opening kickoff, Luke McCaffrey’s 47-yard return and Jeremiah Trotter Jr.’s unnecessary roughness penalty embodied the sloppy play that’s recently been awarding opponents advantageous field position. The Athletic Nfl Staff, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for botch

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bocchen

Noun (2)

Middle English boche, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *bottia boss

First Known Use

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of botch was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Botch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/botch. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

botch

1 of 2 verb
: to make or do something in a clumsy or unskillful way : spoil, bungle

botch

2 of 2 noun
: a botched job : mess
botchy
adjective

Medical Definition

botch

noun
: an inflammatory sore

More from Merriam-Webster on botch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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