What's the difference between blunder and fumble?

Blunder


Definition:

  • (v. i.) To make a gross error or mistake; as, to blunder in writing or preparing a medical prescription.
  • (v. i.) To move in an awkward, clumsy manner; to flounder and stumble.
  • (v. t.) To cause to blunder.
  • (v. t.) To do or treat in a blundering manner; to confuse.
  • (n.) Confusion; disturbance.
  • (n.) A gross error or mistake, resulting from carelessness, stupidity, or culpable ignorance.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The score should have been tied at 2-2 and the natural German retort that one of Geoff Hurst's goals in the 1966 World Cup was imaginary hardly makes the blunder of officials more palatable in Bloemfontein.
  • (2) The catalogue of blunders produced an angry response from congressmen in both parties who questioned the competence of Pierson, who was herself brought in to clean up the elite unit after earlier scandals in which drunken officers were found passed out during a presidential trip to Amsterdam and visiting prostitutes in Colombia.
  • (3) But it is not clear whether that will be enough to save McChrystal's job after what is the latest of a series of political blunders.
  • (4) Anthony King is professor of government at Essex University and co-author with Ivor Crewe of The Blunders of Our Governments, to be published next week
  • (5) From millions of BBC words, blunders and scandals are relatively few.
  • (6) That should mean, among other changes from Monday’s win at Hull , that Danny Welbeck returns up front even if Olivier Giroud relocated the net after a couple of months blundering about in the dark.
  • (7) But after David de Gea's blunder allowed Phil Bardsley's 119th-minute shot to slip in, Javier Hernández grabbed a lifeline with a strike seconds later to take the tie into the shootout.
  • (8) Blunders by hospital staff which leave newborn babies brain-damaged in the first few days of their lives are set to cost the NHS more than £235m, official figures reveal.
  • (9) A horrendous blunder by Mertesacker presents the ball to Aluko, who goes around Fabianksi.
  • (10) Results indicated an effect of sex identification; the male blunderer was derogated most by male subjects (n = 34) and the female most by female subjects (n = 34).
  • (11) The Obama administration on Monday approved Shell’s plan to resume drilling for oil and gas in the treacherous and fragile waters off the coast of Alaska , three years after the Anglo-Dutch oil giant was forced to suspend operations following a series of potentially dangerous blunders.
  • (12) They've conceded only one goal due to a goalie blunder (against admittedly limited opposition) and not lost.
  • (13) "In a post-Fukushima environment where nuclear planning is being halted in Germany and Japan it seems bizarre that the (UK) government is blundering ahead with disposing of nuclear waste in the most absurdly inappropriate place," she said.
  • (14) The plot of Emma turns on Frank Churchill's "blunder" in mentioning the likelihood of Mr Perry, the local apothecary, "setting up his carriage".
  • (15) A brief inquest a year later did not expose the hospital's blunder.
  • (16) The sport’s global governing body has admitted that Joubert blundered by awarding the Wallabies the last-gasp penalty that Bernard Foley kicked to seize a 35-34 victory at Twickenham on Sunday, robbing Scotland of a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
  • (17) Inevitably the commentators (and so far in my researches, they were all women) pondered on Lawson's motivation, and whether this decision was a style blunder, a "betrayal of her own brand", or a defiant and admirable insistence on privacy for her body.
  • (18) It's hard to watch these executions and not realise that these blunders are bound to happen,” he said.
  • (19) In a front-page comment piece, Aluf Benn, the editor-in-chief of Haaretz, wrote: "Instead of hushing up the blunder, [gag orders] merely shine a spotlight on it.
  • (20) He’s not in power yet, so he still gets to blunder around lobbing out daft policies willy-nilly in the hope that one of them will scan.

Fumble


Definition:

  • (v. i.) To feel or grope about; to make awkward attempts to do or find something.
  • (v. i.) To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly; as, to fumble for an excuse.
  • (v. i.) To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over.
  • (v. t.) To handle or manage awkwardly; to crowd or tumble together.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Jesús Navas played a one-two with Touré down the right and from his awkward cross the England squad goalkeeper fumbled the ball inside his six-yard area from where Fernando scored with an overhead kick as dextrous as it was surprising.
  • (2) And it's very nearly a huge play to open the game, as return man Kyle Williams fumbles the ball as he gets hit ... but manages to recover it himself.
  • (3) Suddenly the game seemed to be slipping away from the Ravens, matters going from bad to worse as Ray Rice fumbled at the Baltimore 24.
  • (4) As City fumble their hold on the Premier League trophy, United's grip tightens.
  • (5) January 7, 2014 SEC Football (@SECfootball) That fumble was a very Heisman-like fumble.
  • (6) Lofts it into the box and Barthez fumbles, gathers, then releases Henry.
  • (7) Instagram in particular came to gain from Flickr’s fumble.
  • (8) When Kerry arrived in Paris, he rushed to warmly embrace the French president, but when Hollande went to give Kerry a typical French greeting ( une bise ), Kerry fumbled – and for a moment it looked like the two men were about to start french kissing for real.
  • (9) They go back to James a play later and he's in trouble, but spins into space before dropping the ball - FUMBLE!
  • (10) Another hostage, Joel Herat, screamed “He’s chasing us!” as Morton-Hoffman fumbled to open the main door.
  • (11) It began with a turnover, as Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson fumbled away possession on the very first play, and effectively ended with one too, Smith’s interception killing San Francisco’s final comeback attempt with just 22 seconds left to play.
  • (12) 49ers 20-10 Panthers, 8:53, 3rd quarter Kaepernick fumbles on the next drive!
  • (13) They had started with a short field after Terrelle Thomas intercepted Terrelle Pryor, taking the ball back on a helter-skelter return which ended with the defender fumbling the ball at the Oakland five-yard line, only for officials to rule that he had been down by contact.
  • (14) US oil spill inquiry chief slams BP 11 November Ex-BP boss says when oil spill hit, BP was forced to make up disaster response as it went along Tony Hayward: Public saw us as 'fumbling and incompetent' 12 November Greenland wants upfront payment to cover major oil spills in wake of BP's Gulf of Mexico disaster Greenland wants $2bn bond from oil firms keen to drill in its Arctic waters 24 November Ken Feinberg expects to pay out only $2.3bn in emergency claims over Gulf of Mexico oil spill from $20bn fund Half of BP oil spill damages claims 'inadequate', says payout chief 25 November Tar balls discovered in shrimping net seven months after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill Section of Gulf of Mexico closed to shrimpers after tar balls found 15 December The US government files a suit against BP and several of its partners in the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.
  • (15) Having just praised the Saints for their cautious gameplan, it backfires spectacularly – Mark Ingram fumbling on a carry up the middle.
  • (16) It was as much as I could do to stop myself giggling as the bemused caller lost his thread and started fumbling for words.
  • (17) It would be fair to say that, over time, we fumbled into the cluster,” he adds.
  • (18) I guess you could make that link superficially, because I'm dark as well, and we're roughly the same age, and when she's fumbling around I can see why people might go there.
  • (19) Labour may promote more women, but more than one cabinet minister needed his women staff protected from slobbery kisses and aggressive fumblings.
  • (20) All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules.