Bad / Mistake

verb

1 of 49

Bad / Mistake

Url audio

backfire - To have the opposite effect of what was intended, usually producing a negative result.

At the company meeting, his attempt to lie backfired, and when the truth came out, he was very embarrassed.

noun

See verb

2 of 49

Bad / Mistake

Url audio

unforgivable - So bad as to be unable to be forgiven or excused

He was fired because the company felt that stealing money was an unforgivable act.

noun

See verb

3 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

stumble - An act of stumbling

Shane took a stumble when he tripped over a large rock on the sidewalk.

adjective

4 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

indiscreet - Saying something that should be private, showing a lack of judgment,

John realized that he had been indiscreet when he revealed on the job interview as a financial advisor that he had lost all his money in the stock market.

verb

5 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

blurt - To say (something) suddenly and without careful consideration

Xavier felt embarrassed when he blurted out the answer before hearing the whole question.

noun

6 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

snafu - A confused or chaotic state; a mess

A lack of funding led to the snafu of an incomplete bridge being built across the river.

adjective

7 of 49

Bad / Mistake

Url audio

excessive - Going beyond what is considered acceptable or appropriate.

He was fined for driving at an excessive speed through a school zone.

verb

8 of 49

Bad / Mistake

Url audio

backfire - When a plan fails, to have the opposite result of what was intended.

The politician tried to hide his assets, in order to appear like a common man. But his plan backfired when they were revealed, and people saw that he was a liar.

verb

9 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

bungle - To carry out a task clumsily or incompetently, leading to failure or an unsatisfactory outcome

The painter bungled his job when he misspelled the word on the road sign.

verb

10 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

flunk - To fail to reach the required standard in an examination, test, or course of study

Ron hid his school test from his mother because he didn't want her to know he had flunked it.

verb

11 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

flub - To fail or make a mistake

The outfielder flubbed the catch when the baseball flew past him.

noun

See verb

12 of 49

Bad / Mistake

audio

fumble - An act of using the hands clumsily while doing or handling something

Owen made a major fumble on his date when he knocked over his glass of wine.