screws, screwed, screwing
to screw up
phrasal verb
Make a mistake or do something badly
- 1I really screwed up the presentation.
- 2He screwed up the whole project.
To screw up means to do something wrong or poorly. It's like making a mistake or messing something up. It's when you don't do something the right way and it causes a problem.
Remember, "screw up" is informal. Use it with friends, not in formal situations like at work or school. It's a casual way to talk about mistakes, so be careful where you use it.
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at the car cleaning station
The Soapy Mishap
Melissa
Oh no, I think I screwed up the soap mixture.
Steven
What happened? It looks like there's way too much foam.
Melissa
I added too much detergent, and now it's everywhere.
Steven
No worries, we can rinse it off and start over.
at the entrance of a concert
The Ticket Trouble
Mary
I can't believe I screwed up and left the tickets at home.
Karen
Oh no, that's frustrating! Can we get them on your phone?
Mary
I hope so, let me check my email quickly.
Karen
Fingers crossed! We can't miss this show.
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Similar to "to screw up":
- 1mess up
- 2bungle
- 3botch