1
as in to stumble
to make a mistake
everything is riding on this project, so we can't afford to louse up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
I loused up the wallpapering job in the bedroom—the seams show too much
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of louse up
Which is to say that America’s most prominent vaccine skeptic could have the power to upend, derail, or otherwise louse up a cornerstone of public health.
—
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
Conversely, one of the easiest ways to louse up a team on draft day is to load up a team with players who aren’t going to produce at a level commensurate with when they were drafted.
—Gary Davenport, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
Conversely, one of the easiest ways to louse up a team on draft day is to load up a team with players who aren’t going to produce at a level commensurate with when they were drafted.
—Gary Davenport, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for louse up
Verb
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While sorting through storage in their Rhode Island studio to prep those reissues, Ivy stumbled upon a treasure trove of reel-to-reel tapes and old hard drives with unused material.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2025
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On a remote island in northern Norway, metal detectorists stumbled upon a pair of bronze treasures.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Verb
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United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır fumbled the ball on the edge of his area, allowing Villa forward Morgan Rogers to take possession and put the ball into the net.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones — Jones came up in the discussion about fumbling, but that will not stop him from being the leading backfield producer for the Vikings.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Piper Niven tripped Vega while Green was distracting the referee before Raw went to break.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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There’s never been any danger that Christopher McQuarrie would trip, fall, and accidentally make Barry Lyndon.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Failing to install the tax would blow an additional $80 million hole in Chicago’s 2026 budget as the city already faces a budget gap of around $1 billion, Budget Director Annette Guzman said.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2025
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Wind blows the dust into the atmosphere and begins moving it westward over the Atlantic Ocean.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2025
Verb
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The team that started 5-0 while dominating Major League Rugby has slipped up down the stretch, losing matches like last week’s nail-biter at Seattle.—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2025
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The title was within its grasp but there was no room to slip up – only a win would guarantee the club the Scudetto.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Bigger predators screwing up your fishing, however, is just part of the game from time to time.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
29 May 2025
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As the professional in the room, that face is often screwed up in frustration when the camera isn’t rolling.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
18 May 2025
Verb
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There were missions that felt like a rally racing mini-game, asking me to navigate between timer-extending rings dotting barren desert ruins.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2025
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The situation took a turn when Amy accidentally ruined her earbuds in the wash.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
3 June 2025
Verb
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His idea is included in the tweet below: By adopting this policy, the league would immediately change the calculations that come with fouling up three.—
Mat Issa,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
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But Paige has been there, injuries fouling up her career, too.—
John Nogowski,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Louse up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/louse%20up. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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