stumbled; stumbling
ˈstəm-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to fall into sin or waywardness
b
: to make an error : blunder
c
: to come to an obstacle to belief
2
: to trip in walking or running
3
a
: to walk unsteadily or clumsily
b
: to speak or act in a hesitant or faltering manner
4
a
: to come unexpectedly or by chance
stumble onto the truth
b
: to fall or move carelessly
Synonyms
Examples of stumble in a Sentence
Verb
I stumbled on the uneven pavement.
The horse stumbled and almost fell.
He stumbled drunkenly across the room.
He stumbled over to the table.
I heard him stumble over the unfamiliar words.
She stumbled through an apology.
The economy has stumbled in recent months.
Noun
was his hurtful remark a regrettable stumble, or was it made with artful intention?
has bones so brittle that a minor stumble could result in a serious break
Recent Examples on the Web
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 24 Oct. 2024
Exhausted and hungry, the prospectors stumbled into Dawson City in the late summer of 1898 after a grueling journey—and found what must have seemed a mirage.
—Melanie Haiken, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024
The Yankees know by now merely being the best in the AL hardly guarantees anything and how tricky the division series can be from their stumbles in the 1995, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2018 and 2020 editions of the best-of-five series.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble 
Verb
The costume designer had stumbled across a documentary about mushrooms.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 24 Oct. 2024
Exhausted and hungry, the prospectors stumbled into Dawson City in the late summer of 1898 after a grueling journey—and found what must have seemed a mirage.
—Melanie Haiken, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
When Esteban hits a major stumble in the boxing ring, his best friend and manager, the bewildering and Botox-loving Andy (an unrecognizable Luna), decides to take matters into his own hands.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024
The Yankees know by now merely being the best in the AL hardly guarantees anything and how tricky the division series can be from their stumbles in the 1995, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2018 and 2020 editions of the best-of-five series.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stumble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stumble
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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