"Fuck up" is a vulgar phrasal verb that emerged in English in the mid-20th century, building on the verb "fuck" as an intensifier to signal severity or totality. The phrase came to mean ruining something badly or making a serious mistake, emphasizing the scale of the failure rather than the specific action. It is widely used in informal speech, workplaces, media, and everyday conversation to describe botched plans, errors, or personal failures. The term is coarse but common, context-dependent rather than inherently abusive, and usually expresses frustration, blunt honesty, or self-criticism rather than insult.

What is the origin of the term "fuck up" and how is it used?

Definition und Bedeutung von „fuck up“ im Englischen

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