bungle
noun
Bungle — a mistake resulting from clumsy, ineffective handling of a task
Definition
An embarrassing mistake
In depth
A bungle is an embarrassing mistake, specifically one resulting from clumsy, inept, or poorly executed handling of a task that required more skill or care than was actually applied. The word implies not a single momentary slip but a more sustained failure of competence, the visible result of a job done badly from start to finish.
Origin
The word's exact origin is uncertain, possibly imitative or related to Scandinavian dialect terms suggesting clumsy, fumbling action. Its long use in English to describe inept, poorly executed work reflects a persistent need for vocabulary distinguishing a single careless mistake from a more thoroughgoing, sustained incompetence.
Usage examples
"The investigation's bungle, marked by mishandled evidence and missed deadlines, ultimately let the suspect walk free."
"Critics called the renovation an absolute bungle, citing structural problems that should have been obvious from the start."
"He took full responsibility for the bungle, acknowledging he had simply been unprepared for a task of that scale."
How to use it
Bungle implies a more sustained, comprehensive failure of competence than a single momentary slip, well suited to writing about projects, investigations, or undertakings that were poorly executed from start to finish rather than derailed by one isolated error.
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