blunder

[ bluhn-der ]
See synonyms for blunder on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a gross, stupid, or careless mistake: That's your second blunder this morning.

verb (used without object)
  1. to move or act blindly, stupidly, or without direction or steady guidance: Without my glasses I blundered into the wrong room.

  2. to make a gross or stupid mistake, especially through carelessness or mental confusion: Just pray that he doesn't blunder again and get the names wrong.

verb (used with object)
  1. to bungle; botch: Several of the accounts were blundered by that new assistant.

  2. to utter thoughtlessly; blurt out: He blundered his surprise at their winning the award.

Origin of blunder

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English blunderen, blondren (verb), from Old Norse blunda “to shut one's eyes, nap”; compare Norwegian dialect blundra

synonym study For blunder

1. See mistake.

Other words for blunder

Other words from blunder

  • blun·der·er, noun
  • blun·der·ing·ly, adverb
  • non·blun·der·ing, adjective, noun
  • non·blun·der·ing·ly, adverb
  • outblunder, verb (used with object)
  • su·per·blun·der, noun
  • un·blun·der·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for blunder

blunder

/ (ˈblʌndə) /


noun
  1. a stupid or clumsy mistake

  2. a foolish tactless remark

verb(mainly intr)
  1. to make stupid or clumsy mistakes

  2. to make foolish tactless remarks

  1. (often foll by about, into, etc) to act clumsily; stumble: he blundered into a situation he knew nothing about

  2. (tr) to mismanage; botch

Origin of blunder

1
C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse blunda to close one's eyes, Norwegian dialect blundra; see blind

Derived forms of blunder

  • blunderer, noun
  • blundering, noun, adjective
  • blunderingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012