a bungler

USAGE SUMMARY

"a bungler" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe someone who is clumsy or inept at a task. Example: "He is such a bungler that he always makes simple tasks complicated." Alternative expressions include "a klutz" and "a blunderer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

What a bungler I was.

The New York Times

Be a bungler, be a bore,.

The New Yorker

One of the greats — a man of enormous verve, a bungler of immense promise.

The New York Times

Juan, the steely chief, is a bungler and prone to near-weepiness.

The New York Times - Books

But, with relentless determination, he shows that Scott was, above all, a bungler on a grand scale.

The New York Times - Books

Yet critics have also judged him a bungler, an allegation that Susan Solomon vigorously rebuts in this persuasive book.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

"Deaf, dumb and illiterate in Japanese," as the author writes in his opening sentence, with customary cheerfulness and charm, Vollmann presents himself at the Noh performances of Nara and Tokyo as more or less a professional bungler, an "ape in a cage," staring through binoculars at a startlingly esoteric and nuanced theatrical art of which, as he tells us (often), he cannot understand a word.

The New York Times - Books

His opponents portray him as a womaniser, a drunkard and a gambler; as in cahoots with drug lords and casino kings; as an inarticulate bungler with a dangerously enlarged liver.

The Economist

… The show's Ford was Chevy Chase, a lanky slapstick comedian who portrayed the commander in chief as President Pratfall, a genial bungler stumbling across the world stage with a complacent grin.

The Washington Post

"He who made us would have been a pitiful bungler if he had made the rules of our moral conduct a matter of science".

SEP

In each instance Mr. Nock steps in, a curious bungler who fast turns virtuoso.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair the phrase with descriptive adjectives like "heroic", "hopeless", or "amiable" to provide nuance to the type of ineptitude being described.

Common error

Avoid using "a bungler" when you strictly mean someone is physically uncoordinated in a social setting; in those cases, "a klutz" is often more appropriate. Use "a bungler" specifically for someone who mismanages tasks or situations through a lack of skill or judgment.

Linguistic Context

In the examples provided by Ludwig, "a bungler" functions as a count noun phrase consisting of the indefinite article "a" and the noun "bungler". It typically acts as a subjective complement (e.g., "he is a bungler") or an appositive to categorize a person based on their perceived lack of skill.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "a bungler" is a well-established and correct English phrase used to describe someone who is clumsy, inept, or prone to making significant mistakes. Ludwig AI data confirms its high prevalence in prestigious news outlets, where it is often employed to critique public figures or literary characters. While it is less common in strictly scientific or business contexts, it remains a powerful tool for narrative and editorial writing. By choosing this term over simpler synonyms like "klutz", a writer can convey a more specific sense of professional or situational failure without resorting to harsh slang.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a blunderer

Focuses more specifically on the act of making large or careless mistakes.

a botcher

Emphasizes the poor or ruined quality of the work performed.

a fumbler

Suggests physical clumsiness or a lack of mental clarity in handling a situation.

a klutz

More informal and often implies physical awkwardness rather than professional incompetence.

an incompetent

A more clinical and formal assessment of a lack of skill.

a maladroit

A sophisticated, slightly more formal term for an unskillful person.

a screw-up

Much more informal and potentially offensive in professional settings.

a mucker

British informal term for someone who messes things up.

a hash

Often used to describe the result of the action rather than the person, but can refer to an inept individual.

a simpleton

Suggests a lack of intelligence rather than just a lack of skill or coordination.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "a bungler"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "a blunderer", "a botcher", or "an incompetent".

How to use "a bungler" in a sentence?

You can use it to label a person's behavior, for example: "The project failed because the lead architect was seen as "something of a bungler"".

Is "a bungler" a formal or informal term?

It is generally neutral but carries a literary or journalistic tone. In very formal business reports, you might prefer "an unskilled worker" or "incompetent personnel".

What's the difference between "a bungler" and "a klutz"?

While both imply a lack of skill, ""a klutz"" usually refers to physical awkwardness (tripping or dropping things), whereas "a bungler" implies the mismanagement of a task or a broader failure of competence.