Synonyms of stumble

stumble 1 of 2

verb

ˈstəm-bəl 

1

as in to fall

to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily

the bride stumbled on the altar steps and landed smack in the arms of the minister

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fall
• slip
• trip
• tumble
• topple
• collapse
• plop
• slide
• crash
• skid
• plunge
• drop
• plummet
• crumple
• plunk
• precipitate
• wipe out
• slump (over)
• keel
• plonk
• flump
• nose-dive
• free-fall

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stand (up)
• rise
• get up
• uprise

2

as in to struggle

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• struggle
• trudge
• blunder
• shuffle
• flounder
• limp
• fumble
• lurch
• jog
• bumble
• falter
• plod
• sway
• lumber
• stagger
• flog
• shamble
• reel
• totter
• wallow
• muddle
• welter
• teeter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coast
• fly
• glide
• sail
• zoom
• zip
• kilt

3

as in to shuffle

to move heavily or clumsily

the tipsy revelers left the path and wearily stumbled through the tangled undergrowth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shuffle
• stomp
• lurch
• trudge
• shamble
• slough
• flounder
• haul
• barge
• drag
• stagger
• weave
• clump
• lump
• scuff
• scuffle
• tramp
• pound
• stamp
• galumph
• plod
• stump
• slog
• lumber
• flog
• tromp
• sway
• flop
• totter
• blunder
• waddle
• reel
• wabble
• wobble
• careen
• teeter
• dodder

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coast
• slide
• breeze
• glide
• hang
• drift
• whisk
• waltz
• float
• hover
• waft
• poise

4

as in to fumble

to make a mistake

that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumble
• trip
• blunder
• err
• slip up
• nod
• flub
• mistake
• misunderstand
• lay an egg
• screw up
• drop the ball
• goof (up)
• louse up
• fluff
• foul up
• boob
• mess (up)
• botch
• bungle
• misjudge
• miscalculate
• mangle
• butcher
• murder
• misconceive
• misinterpret
• mishandle
• misconstrue
• muff
• bobble
• miscue
• foozle
• miscount
• misdeem
• misgauge

stumble

2 of 2

noun

1

as in mistake

an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy

was his hurtful remark a regrettable stumble, or was it made with artful intention?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mistake
• blunder
• error
• fumble
• trip
• misstep
• slip
• flub
• brick
• miscue
• goof
• bobble
• inaccuracy
• fault
• gaff
• gaffe
• slipup
• lapse
• screwup
• boob
• clinker
• clanger
• fluff
• oversight
• boo-boo
• pratfall
• blooper
• bloomer
• misunderstanding
• howler
• snafu
• boner
• misreading
• misstatement
• miscalculation
• misinterpretation
• misjudgment
• misconstruction
• misconception
• misapprehension
• miscomprehension
• misdescription
• misimpression
• foul-up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accuracy
• precision
• exactness
• correctness
• exactitude
• strictness
• perfection
• infallibility
• preciseness
• inerrancy

2

as in fall

the act of going down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily

has bones so brittle that a minor stumble could result in a serious break

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fall
• tumble
• spill
• slip
• trip
• slide
• dive
• plunge
• skid
• misstep
• pratfall
• header
• descent
• free-fall

Examples of stumble in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On the evening of April 21, the trio — captured on surveillance footage — stumbled into the quiet peace of Franklin County. —Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 19 Oct. 2024

Olivia Rodrigo accidentally stumbled into a hilariously awkward situation at a recent Guts World Tour show. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 18 Oct. 2024

Noun

And the vibes, how much this is being embraced by the city of Oakland, but also some of the stumbles that the founders had. —Lauren Goode, WIRED, 5 Sep. 2024

Momentarily, the grace was replaced by a stumble in the last chance saloon. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

Phrases Containing stumble

• stumble (on or onto)
• stumble (upon)