# balls up

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/balls-up
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to ruin or bungle

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang · Vulgar

to make a big mistake or do a job very badly.

For teachers: 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.

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.

### 2. to make a mess

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang · Vulgar

to cause a situation to go wrong.

For teachers: 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.

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.

## Examples

- I really balls up the interview yesterday.
- The caterers completely balls up the wedding cake, so we had to buy one from the supermarket.
- The administration managed to balls up the entire logistics operation, leading to a public relations disaster that lasted for weeks.

## Usage notes

- 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'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.