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bloomer

bloomer

1 6.7
An embarrassing mistake that shows you were careless
  • noun
  • /ˈbluːmər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : metedura de pata
  • a late bloomer

Examples

  • I bet that you were a very late bloomer.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • I was what they call an early bloomer.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • You're a late bloomer, my mother says.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • But we're a family of late bloomers.

  • Children with no expressive vocabulary delay had significantly larger vocabularies than children in the late bloomer group.

    Academic text (2011)
  • When he forgot to save his work before the deadline, it was a real bloomer that cost him the project.

  • Everyone makes a bloomer now and then, but it's important to learn from those mistakes.

  • Her decision to confront the manager was a major bloomer, as it created unnecessary tension in the office.

Synonyms

boner
vsbloomer
  • Archaic
85 8.2

A silly or embarrassing mistake

is a more general embarrassing or foolish mistake not just a light slip
blunder
vsbloomer
49 3.0

A careless mistake that causes embarrassment or problems

is a foolish or embarrassing mistake without necessarily causing extra problems
misstep
vsbloomer
44 5.3

A small wrong action that causes embarrassment or harm to people's trust

is a foolish or embarrassing mistake not limited to accidental slips
blooper
vsbloomer
14 6.1

An embarrassing mistake that happens in public or during a show

is any embarrassing or foolish mistake not limited to public performance
stumble
vsbloomer
9 3.4

A small mistake that is often embarrassing

is a foolish or embarrassing mistake not only an accidental slip
flub
vsbloomer
  • Informal
6 7.7

An embarrassing mistake made when someone is careless or nervous

is a foolish or embarrassing mistake not always linked to carelessness
boo-boo
vsbloomer
  • Baby Talk
6 7.2

A small mistake or little injury described in a childlike way

is an embarrassing or foolish mistake not only a tiny playful error
fuckup
vsbloomer
  • Offensive
5 9.9

A serious or embarrassing mistake that causes problems

is an embarrassing or foolish mistake that may be less severe
foul-up
vsbloomer
  • Informal
5 7.7

A serious, embarrassing mistake often caused by confusion or poor planning

is an embarrassing or foolish mistake that can be less serious
bungle
vsbloomer
3 6.5

A careless mistake that shows a lack of skill

is a foolish or embarrassing mistake without implying lack of skill
botch
vsbloomer
3 7.6

An embarrassing mistake that happens because of bad or careless work

is an embarrassing or foolish mistake not strictly from bad workmanship
howler
vsbloomer
  • Informal
1 7.2

An obvious embarrassing mistake that makes people laugh

is an embarrassing or foolish mistake without being especially glaring or funny
pratfall
vsbloomer
1 8.7

An embarrassing mistake someone makes in public

is an embarrassing or foolish mistake without necessarily causing public humiliation

Antonyms

1.0

Getting what you want after working hard

Compounds

11 4.6

A person who shows skill or talent later than others

A person who learns skills or shows talents earlier than other children

How Embarrassing

blunder
49 3.0
faux pas
13 8.8
bloomer
  • Archaic
1 6.7
to mistake
37 1.0
slip
79 1.6

Surface Forms

bloomer singular
bloomers plural

Morphology

bloomer = bloom (opaque) = bloom + er

Although formed from 'bloom' + '-er', the sense 'an embarrassing or foolish mistake' reflects a semantic shift and is not inferable from the base meaning of 'to flower'.

Etymology

Bloomer also means an embarrassing mistake. A helpful way to remember this is to think of a mistake that suddenly 'blooms' and stands out, so a bloomer is like a 'blunder' that everyone notices.