screw up
C1Informal, colloquial. Common in spoken and informal written English (e.g., blogs, social media). Avoid in very formal writing.
Definition
Meaning
To make a mistake, to do something badly, or to cause something to fail.
To damage or ruin something, typically through incompetence or mistake. As a noun ('screw-up'), a person who habitually makes mistakes or a specific instance of a major error. Can also mean to cause someone to become emotionally or mentally distressed.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly versatile phrasal verb. Can be transitive ('screw up a project') or intransitive ('I really screwed up'). Carries a strong negative judgement, implying blameworthy error, often due to carelessness or incompetence. The noun form ('screw-up') is countable.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Predominantly similar in core meaning and usage. 'Balls up' is a more UK-specific, vulgar synonym. The verb is equally common in both varieties. The noun 'screw-up' is slightly more prevalent in American English.
Connotations
Strongly negative in both. Considered mildly vulgar or impolite, especially to older or more conservative speakers. Less offensive than stronger expletives (e.g., 'f*** up').
Frequency
Very high frequency in informal contexts in both the UK and US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] screwed up[NP] screwed up [NP][NP] screwed [NP] up[NP] got screwed upVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Screw up one's courage (to do sthg) - to force oneself to be brave.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informally used to describe project failures, missed deadlines, or lost clients (e.g., 'The marketing team screwed up the launch.'). Not for official reports.
Academic
Highly unlikely in academic writing. Might appear in informal student discourse about poor performance (e.g., 'I screwed up the exam.').
Everyday
Ubiquitous for discussing mistakes of all kinds, from minor (screwing up a recipe) to major (screwing up one's life).
Technical
Not used in technical documentation. Might be used in informal post-mortems of technical failures.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Don't screw up the booking this time.
- He screwed up his face in confusion.
- I've completely screwed up my sleeping schedule.
American English
- You really screwed up the negotiations.
- Don't screw up this chance.
- The new software update screwed up my computer.
adverb
British English
- (Not typically used as a standalone adverb. 'Screwed up' is adjectival.)
American English
- (Not typically used as a standalone adverb. 'Screwed up' is adjectival.)
adjective
British English
- He felt like a complete screw-up after forgetting the meeting.
- It was a monumental screw-up by the council.
American English
- The whole situation was totally screwed up.
- Don't trust him with it, he's a known screw-up.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I screwed up. I forgot my keys.
- Oh no, I think I screwed up the colour.
- Be careful not to screw up the instructions.
- He screwed up his first job interview.
- The travel agent screwed up our flight reservations, causing a huge delay.
- If you screw up this deal, the client will go to our competitors.
- The government's handling of the crisis was an unmitigated screw-up from start to finish.
- Years of poor investment decisions had completely screwed up the company's finances.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine tightening a screw so much that the material cracks and the project is RUINED. You 'screwed it up' (over-tightened = over-handled = made a mistake).
Conceptual Metaphor
ERROR IS PHYSICAL DEFORMITY/DAMAGE (twisting/bending something out of its proper shape). COMPETENCE IS STRAIGHTNESS/ORDER.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend: 'screw' as a verb does not mean 'screw in' (ввинчивать).
- Do not confuse with 'screw' meaning to cheat/exploit (обмануть, обсчитать).
- The phrasal verb is more general than испортить; it emphasizes the agent's fault.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I screwed up to do it.' (Correct: 'I screwed up doing it' or 'I screwed it up.')
- Incorrect separation: 'I screwed the presentation up badly.' is less common than 'I screwed up the presentation badly.'
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'screw up' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is informal and considered mildly vulgar or impolite, especially in formal company or with people sensitive to language. It's less offensive than most swear words but more forceful than 'mess up'.
Yes. 'That was a major screw-up' (the event) or informally, 'He's a real screw-up' (the person). Both are informal.
They are largely synonymous. 'Screw up' can sound slightly stronger, more blameworthy, and is considered more informal/vulgar than 'mess up', which is very neutral for informal speech.
Simply use 'screwed up'. 'I screwed up yesterday.' 'She has screwed up before.' The past participle is also 'screwed up' for perfect tenses and the passive voice ('The plan was screwed up from the beginning').