A blunder is a big, careless mistake, especially one that causes problems or embarrassment.
It probably comes from Old Norse “blunda,” meaning “to shut one’s eyes” or “doze,” suggesting acting blindly or stupidly. Over time, it came to mean a clumsy or foolish error.
A blunder isn’t just any mistake; it’s one you really should have seen coming. The word’s roots hint that when we blunder, it’s like we’re sleepwalking past all the warning signs.
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