screwed up; screwing up; screws up
1
: to tighten, fasten, or lock by or as if by a screw
: to botch an activity or undertaking
Examples of screwup in a Sentence
Noun
That was a major screwup.
She's a screwup who can't hold down a job.
Verb
we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it
you've totally screwed up the spreadsheet
Recent Examples on the Web
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
Fei-hung is a fan of drunken boxing, and his father disapproves of this and other screwups, kicking his son out of the house.
—ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 May 2025
So someone — either the hotel or Hotels.com — really screwed up here.
—Christopher Elliot, Mercury News, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
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Noun
His constant screwups are an expression of his karma — his need to sabotage himself and everyone around him.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
Fei-hung is a fan of drunken boxing, and his father disapproves of this and other screwups, kicking his son out of the house.
—ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
As far as Luca knows, however, he’s somehow screwed up and killed his informant.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 May 2025
So someone — either the hotel or Hotels.com — really screwed up here.
—Christopher Elliot, Mercury News, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for screwup
Cite this Entry
“Screwup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screwup. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
screwup
1 of 2 noun
screw·up
ˈskrü-ˌəp 
1
: one who screws up
2
screw up
2 of 2 verb1
: to tighten, fasten, or lock by or as if by a screw
2
a
b
: to cause to act in an odd or confused way
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