Illustration of muff
muff
1 of 3noun (1)
ˈməf 
: a warm tubular covering for the hands
muff
2 of 3verb
muffed; muffing; muffs
transitive verb
1
: to handle awkwardly
2
: to fail to hold (a ball) when attempting a catch
intransitive verb
1
: to act or do something stupidly or clumsily
2
: to muff a ball compare fumble
muff
3 of 3noun (2)
1
: a bungling performance
2
: a failure to hold a ball in attempting a catch
Synonyms
Verb
- blow
- bobble
- boggle
- bollix (up)
- boot
- botch
- bugger (up)
- bumble
- bungle
- butcher
- dub
- flub
- fluff
- foozle
- foul up
- fumble
- goof (up)
- louse up
- mangle
- mess (up)
- muck up
- murder
- screw up
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He muffed his chance for a promotion. The outfielder muffed an easy catch.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Dutch mof, from Middle French moufle mitten, from Medieval Latin muffula
Verb
probably from muff entry 1
First Known Use
Noun (1)
1599, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1846, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
muff 1 of 2
noun
ˈməf
: a soft thick cover into which both hands can be placed to protect them from cold
muff
2 of 2verb
muffed; muffing
: to make a mistake in doing or handling
He muffed an easy catch.
muff 1 of 2
verb
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way muffed the repair job and had to do it again Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fumble
- blow
- boot
- bobble
- dub
- murder
- fluff
- bungle
- butcher
- ruin
- flub
- foozle
- muck up
- screw up
- botch
- bumble
- mangle
- spoil
- foul up
- boggle
- damage
- louse up
- mar
- destroy
- wreck
- blunder
- goof (up)
- injure
- piffle
- bollix (up)
- muddle
- hurt
- blight
- flaw
- blemish
- bugger (up)
- mutilate
- harm
- mess (up)
- impair
- gum (up)
- vitiate
- mishandle
- mismanage
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- remedy
- better
- improve
- help
- ameliorate
- reform
- patch
- enhance
- rectify
- refine
- meliorate
- repair
- fix
- renovate
- recondition
- revamp
- doctor
muff
2 of 2noun
as in fumble
Synonyms & Similar Words
- fumble
- boob
- boner
- miscue
- blunder
- flub
- inaccuracy
- goof
- errancy
- trip
- gaffe
- misstatement
- error
- foul-up
- clinker
- lapse
- stumble
- mistake
- misjudgment
- misjudging
- slip
- misconstruction
- miscalculation
- fault
- slipup
- misinterpretation
- misstep
- misconception
- misapprehension
- misunderstanding
- misconstruing
- misprision
- misimpression
- mounds
- moundsman
- moundsmen
- mounseer
- mounseers
- mount
- mount carstensz
- mount catherine
- mount de
- Mount Desert Island
- mount ephraim
- Mount Hope Bay
- mount ida
- mount mckinley
- mount morrison
- mount ngaliema
- Mount of Apollo
- Mount of Brilliancy
- Mount of Jupiter
- Mount of Luna
- Mount of Mars
- Mount of Melody
- Mount of Mercury
- Mount of Saturn
- Mount of the Moon