snafu
1 of 3noun
sna·fu sna-ˈfü 
ˈsna-ˌfü
: a situation marked by errors or confusion : muddle
also : an error causing such a situation
a scheduling snafu
snafu
2 of 3adjective
: snarled or stalled in confusion : awry
snafu
3 of 3verb
snafued; snafuing; snafus
transitive verb
: to bring into a state of confusion
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2022 Revisit the winding chain of events below, from Barbra Streisand's debut to the current casting snafu. Scottie Andrew, CNN, 18 July 2022 Demi Lovato chatted Thursday on Jimmy Kimmel Live about getting stitches shortly before the appearance due to a bizarre crystal snafu. Brendan Morrow, The Week, 15 July 2022 Ting said those missteps were more to blame for the enrollment snafu than any flaw in the state’s environmental review process. Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2022 In fact, when judged against some of the whoppers that have taken place over the past 24 seasons, this recent HOH ceremony snafu barely registers. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 27 July 2022 Jessica Lee, a 19-year-old model from Perth, detailed her sandwich snafu in a TikTok video that went viral, garnering more than 1.5 million views as of Wednesday. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 20 July 2022 Rotering, Hutchinson and Curran were temporarily booted from the ballot over a snafu involving the number of signatures required to run in the newly redrawn district. Emily Hoerner, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2022 While a snafu at the 2016 Oscars saw Moonlight achieve a very different kind of notoriety, the film remains widely regarded as the year’s indisputable best picture. Marley Marius, Vogue, 4 June 2022 See More
Noun
Despite the legal snafu, Millsap continues to claim the land, and has repeatedly sent construction crews there. Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2022 Revisit the winding chain of events below, from Barbra Streisand's debut to the current casting snafu. Scottie Andrew, CNN, 18 July 2022 Demi Lovato chatted Thursday on Jimmy Kimmel Live about getting stitches shortly before the appearance due to a bizarre crystal snafu. Brendan Morrow, The Week, 15 July 2022 Ting said those missteps were more to blame for the enrollment snafu than any flaw in the state’s environmental review process. Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2022 In fact, when judged against some of the whoppers that have taken place over the past 24 seasons, this recent HOH ceremony snafu barely registers. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 27 July 2022 Jessica Lee, a 19-year-old model from Perth, detailed her sandwich snafu in a TikTok video that went viral, garnering more than 1.5 million views as of Wednesday. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 20 July 2022 Rotering, Hutchinson and Curran were temporarily booted from the ballot over a snafu involving the number of signatures required to run in the newly redrawn district. Emily Hoerner, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2022 While a snafu at the 2016 Oscars saw Moonlight achieve a very different kind of notoriety, the film remains widely regarded as the year’s indisputable best picture. Marley Marius, Vogue, 4 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
situation normal all fucked up (fouled up)
First Known Use
Noun
circa 1941, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1942, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1943, in the meaning defined above
snafu
noun
as in blunder
somewhat informal a problem that makes a situation difficult or confusing A major scheduling snafu led to two meetings starting at the same time. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- blunder
- mistake
- error
- foul-up
- flub
- screwup
- fumble
- misstep
- gaffe
- inaccuracy
- miscue
- goof
- slipup
- trip
- misunderstanding
- gaff
- stumble
- lapse
- fault
- brick
- oversight
- bobble
- boo-boo
- blooper
- slip
- boob
- pratfall
- clanger
- miscalculation
- misjudgment
- fluff
- miscue
- misstatement
- misinterpretation
- misconception
- misreading
- howler
- bloomer
- clinker
- miscomprehension
- misconstruction
- misimpression
- misdescription
- misapprehension
- boner
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- accuracy
- precision
- correctness
- exactness
- preciseness
- strictness
- exactitude
- perfection
- infallibility
- inerrancy