blundered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "blundered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe making a mistake or acting clumsily, often in a way that causes embarrassment or trouble. Example: "He blundered through the presentation, forgetting key points and stumbling over his words."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The form-book entry for his Gold Cup win is strewn with black marks: "blundered third, hit 10th, tracking leaders when blundered 12th, not fluent four out... ...... Of his comeback defeat, equally, the Racing Post records: "not fluent sixth, mistake seventh, hit 12th, one pace when blundered two out".

Independent

As I blundered off towards the stage she pressed a small, hairy, sticky object into my hand.

The Guardian

The main targets for Occupy should be the EU Central Bank and the EU commission, which have not only blundered economically, but are now prepared to destroy democracy itself in order to remain in control.

The Guardian - Opinion

A leading Nigerian politician claimed Boko Haram blundered and handed the search mission a golden opportunity when it released a video of the captured girls because it contains significant clues to their whereabouts.

The Guardian

The soldiers were initially frightening with their battledress and machine guns as they blundered in, messed up the houses of suspects and carried off whatever took their fancy.

The Guardian

When I enter the cafe she is cutting a slice of cheesecake for a tourist who is oblivious of the fact that he has blundered into the unofficial central London green room for Equity.

The Guardian

The government also blundered by cutting spending on public works.

The Economist

But Mr Mahuad has blundered politically.In Congress, the government, closing the doors to other parties, concentrated on a pact with the market-oriented but populist Social Christian Party (PSC), whose votes give it a majority.

The Economist

Or perhaps austerity might eventually lead to populists that turn away from the euro to hell with the consequences.A euro-zone central banker confesses that he has lately been thinking about historical catastrophes such as the first world war and wondering how the world blundered into them.

The Economist

He is wobbly on fiscal policy, blundered on the hot topic of shale gas and sounds uncertain on foreign affairs.

The Economist

He blundered in July when he rescinded India's agreement to a World Trade Organisation deal to ease trade, opting instead to protect food and farm subsidies at home.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "blundered", ensure the context clearly indicates a significant error or mistake made through clumsiness or poor judgment.

Common error

Avoid using "blundered" to describe trivial mistakes. Reserve it for scenarios where the error has notable consequences or reflects significant incompetence. Using milder terms like "stumbled" or "erred" might be more appropriate for minor mishaps.

Linguistic Context

"Blundered" primarily functions as the past tense of the verb "blunder", indicating that an action of making a foolish or careless mistake has already occurred. Ludwig examples show it describing errors in various contexts, from political missteps to physical mishaps.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Encyclopedias

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "blundered" serves as the past tense form of the verb "blunder", denoting a significant mistake made through carelessness or poor judgment. According to Ludwig, its grammatical correctness is affirmed, and it is most frequently encountered in news and encyclopedic contexts. While suitable for neutral reporting, it implies a degree of fault. Related phrases include "made a mistake" and "erred", offering nuanced alternatives for different situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bumbled

Similar to "blundered" but suggests a less consequential and more comical series of mistakes.

made a mistake

This is a more general and neutral alternative, lacking the implication of clumsiness or severity.

messed up

This is a more general and informal alternative for making a mistake, implying a negative outcome.

erred

This alternative is more formal and suggests a deviation from correctness or morality.

miscalculated

This implies a failure in judgment or planning, leading to an undesirable outcome.

goofed up

This alternative is more informal and suggests a minor, often humorous, mistake.

flubbed

This suggests a clumsy or awkward performance, often in a public setting.

stumbled

This implies a literal or figurative loss of balance, suggesting a less intentional error.

botched

This indicates a complete failure or ruin of something, often due to incompetence.

dropped the ball

This idiom specifically refers to failing to fulfill a responsibility or expectation.

FAQs

How can I use "blundered" in a sentence?

You can use "blundered" to describe someone making a significant mistake due to clumsiness or poor judgment. For example: "The politician "blundered" during the debate by misstating key facts."

What can I say instead of "blundered"?

You can use alternatives like "made a mistake", "erred", or "goofed up" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "blundered" or "stumbled"?

"Blundered" implies a significant error due to poor judgment or clumsiness, while "stumbled" suggests a loss of balance or a minor, unintentional mistake.

What's the difference between "blundered" and "bumbled"?

"Blundered" suggests a serious mistake with negative consequences, whereas "bumbled" implies a series of clumsy actions that are less consequential and often comical.