1 B1 idiomatic slang
To ruin or spoil a specific thing, situation, or opportunity through a mistake or poor judgement.
"I had a great chance at that promotion, and I fucked it up by being late to the interview."
separable
fuck it up
B1 slang separable transitive
Vulgar slang for completely ruining or spoiling a specific thing through an error or poor handling.
In plain English
To completely ruin something specific.
What does "fuck it up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic slang
To harm or damage a relationship or social situation through one's own actions.
"They were finally getting along, and then he went and fucked it up by saying something cruel."
separable
Usage tip
The pronoun 'it' is typically fixed in this form, referring anaphorically to something already mentioned. This form is so commonly used together that many speakers treat it as a semi-fixed expression. Strongly vulgar.
Words that pair with "fuck it up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
interview relationship presentation opportunity deal exam
How to conjugate "fuck it up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fuck it up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fucks it up
he/she/it
Past simple
fucked it up
yesterday
Past participle
fucked it up
have + pp
-ing form
fucking it up
continuous
Hear "fuck it up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "fuck it up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
blow it botch it bungle it mess it up ruin it screw it up
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