blunder

UK: /ˈblʌndə^r/ US: /ˈblʌndɚ/ ,(blun′dər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

blun•der /ˈblʌndɚ/   n. 

[countable]
1. a stupid mistake:
   One of his first blunders was to make fun of the teacher's name.

v. [no object]

2. to move or act clumsily or stupidly: [~ + into] :
   We blundered into the wrong room.
   [~ + along]
   We blundered along down the road.
3. to make a mistake, esp. through carelessness or confusion:
   We blundered when we tried to take a shortcut.

blun•der•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

blun•der  (blun′dər), n. 

1. a gross, stupid, or careless mistake:
   That's your second blunder this morning.

v.i. 

2. to move or act blindly, stupidly, or without direction or steady guidance:
   Without my glasses I blundered into the wrong room.
3. to make a gross or stupid mistake, esp. through carelessness or mental confusion:
   Just pray that he doesn't blunder again and get the names wrong.

v.t. 

4. to bungle;
   botch:
   Several of the accounts were blundered by that new assistant.
5. to utter thoughtlessly;
   blurt out:
   He blundered his surprise at their winning the award.

• Old Norse blunda shut one's eyes, nap; compare Norwegian dialect, dialectal blundra
• Middle English blunderen blondren, (verb, verbal) 1350–1400

blun′der•er, n. 
blun′der•ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. error. See mistake. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

blunder / ˈblʌndə/ noun

1. a stupid or clumsy mistake
2. a foolish tactless remark

verb (mainly intr)

1. to make stupid or clumsy mistakes
2. to make foolish tactless remarks
3. often followed by about, into, etc: to act clumsily; stumble
4. (transitive) to mismanage; botch

Etymology: 14th Century: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse blunda to close one's eyes, Norwegian dialect blundra; see blind

ˈblunderer noun

ˈblundering noun , adjective