tumbling

1 of 2

noun

tum·​bling ˈtəm-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce tumbling (audio)
: the skill, practice, or sport of executing gymnastic feats (such as somersaults and handsprings) without the use of apparatus

tumbling

2 of 2

adjective

: tipped or slanted out of the vertical
used especially of a cattle brand

Examples of tumbling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Gymnastics: In a safe space with tumbling mats, Parker suggests creating your own 60-second tumbling routine to your child's favorite music. Kristina Behr, Parents, 20 July 2024 Ninety minutes later, Biles landed out of bounds and then took another step backward on her second tumbling pass in the floor exercise. Scott M. Reid, Orange County Register, 5 Aug. 2024
Adjective
In the last few weeks of 2022 alone, Giuliani generated one more tumbling wave of negative publicity. John Marks, CNN, 7 Jan. 2023 The Senate majority leader represents the big-business wing of the Republican Party, and Wall Street, if the tumbling stock market is any indication, fears Trump’s protectionism will cause economic pain. Jeet Heer, The New Republic, 5 Apr. 2018 See all Example Sentences for tumbling 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tumbling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1604, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tumbling was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near tumbling

Cite this Entry

“Tumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumbling. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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