Phrasal verb
balls up
Definitions
01to ruin or bungle
phr.v. to make a big mistake or do a job very badly.
phr.v. to perform a task poorly or ruin a situation through incompetence. The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
“He really balled up the presentation by forgetting the most important slides.”
“The junior analyst completely balled up the quarterly report, forcing the entire team to stay late and redo the calculations.”
British English · Slang · Vulgar
Usage
Often used with 'completely' or 'really' for emphasis.
Teaching tip
This is vulgar slang; while common in casual British speech, it is inappropriate for professional or formal contexts.
Synonyms
02to make a mess
phr.v. to cause a situation to go wrong.
phr.v. to create a state of confusion or failure. Used intransitively without a direct object.
“I tried to fix the sink myself, but I just balled up and had to call a plumber.”
“Despite having months to prepare for the transition, the management team balled up at the final stage of the merger.”
British English · Slang · Vulgar
Usage
Used as an intransitive verb to describe general failure.
Teaching tip
Learners should be aware that this term is specifically British/Commonwealth and may not be understood or may sound out of place in American English.
Teaching tip
explain that while 'balls' refers to testicles, the phrase is used commonly in British English to mean 'to mess up', similar to the American 'screw up'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
balls + (object) + up
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/balls-up