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to snafu

to snafu

9.9
To make a plan or process become confused and fail
  • verb
  • /ˈsnæfu/
  • Slang
translation icon : crear un lío
  • The manager's poor planning will likely snafu the entire project schedule.

Examples

  • Default is very unlikely unless the politicians SNAFU the situation.

    Blog text (13)
  • I rather expected you to snafu things for me.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • If you don’t follow the instructions carefully, you might snafu the whole process.

  • Failing to communicate properly can snafu even the simplest tasks.

Synonyms

to mess up
vsto snafu
  • Informal
597 2.8

To make a mistake that causes a problem

causes complete confusion or disarray especially through mismanagement
to mix up
vsto snafu
  • Informal
65 2.7

To make people confused and things messy

creates larger scale confusion and disorder rather than a small unclear case
to muck up
vsto snafu
  • Informal
5 7.6

To ruin something by making mistakes or doing it badly

results in overall confusion or disarray rather than just a single spoiled part
to fluff
vsto snafu
  • Informal
2 5.4

To make a mistake especially by forgetting words on stage

causes full confusion or disarray rather than a minor careless error
to botch up
vsto snafu
  • Informal
2 6.7

Do a job badly and make a mess of it

produces disorder and confusion mainly from error rather than clumsiness alone
to snarl up
vsto snafu
  • UK
1 7.8

Make things tangled or blocked so progress slows

creates widespread confusion primarily because of mistakes or poor management
to bollocks up
vsto snafu
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To do something so badly that it fails

leads to extensive confusion usually because of mistakes or bad management
to clusterfuck
vsto snafu
  • Offensive
9.9

To make a situation very messy and badly managed

causes complete confusion mainly due to mistakes or poor management
to misfuck
vsto snafu
  • Offensive
9.9

To ruin something completely by making serious mistakes

causes complete confusion especially from error or mismanagement

Antonyms

662 1.6

Arrange people, things, and activities so they work well

239 2.3

To hold and use things carefully so they do not break or fall

How Disruptive

to ruin
2.0
to derail
64 4.6
to snafu
  • Slang
9.9
to mess up
  • Informal
597 2.8
to confuse
266 1.9

Surface Forms

snafu infinitive
snafued past
snafued past participle
snafuing present participle
snafus third person singular

Etymology

Snafu comes from a World War II US military acronym SNAFU from the phrase 'Situation Normal: All Fouled Up', which said that disorder was the usual state. So to snafu something is to make it confused or to mess it up.