stumble 1 of 2

verb

ˈstəm-bəl How to pronounce stumble (audio)
Definition of stumblenext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to struggle
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily the tipsy revelers left the path and wearily stumbled through the tangled undergrowth

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to fumble
to make a mistake that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air

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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?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stumble
Verb
The day after the earthquakes, some volunteers stumbled upon a 7-year-old boy named Mateo, shirtless and covered in debris, sitting by himself on a sidewalk in La Guaira. — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 Even a tonally lighter mid-season tangent about two horror host streamers who stumble on an early sighting of the Human Vapor in a music video is charged with precarity and desperation. — Rory Doherty, Time, 3 July 2026
Noun
But the recent stumbles for SpaceX’s stock and for AI stocks broadly may be a signal of less appetite for big AI stocks among investors. — Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026 But the recent stumbles for SpaceX’s stock and for AI stocks broadly may be a signal of less appetite for big AI stocks among investors. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
  1. fall
  2. struggle
  3. shuffle
  4. fumble
  5. mistake
  6. tumble
  7. slip
  8. stomp
Verb
  • The woman fell about 1,500 vertical feet, from around 12,000 feet to about 11,500 feet.
    — Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • The report will also provide insight into whether American workers’ paychecks are falling further behind inflation.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • Acuff got off to a much better start after struggling to make shots in his summer league debut on Saturday.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
  • While San Francisco’s bullpen is struggling, Rogers is in the midst of another excellent season after signing a three-year, $37 million deal to join the defending American League champions.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
Definition of struggle
Verb
  • As soon as the game wrapped up, those guests shuffled out, and hours later were replaced by a rowdier group ordering shots at the bar, dancing to 2000s hits in front of the DJ booth and smoking vape pens on the outdoor patio.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • Pretoria responded to the threat of violence in June 30 protests with millions of dollars shuffled inside the police budget, tactical units deployed, and soldiers on standby.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 26 June 2026
Definition of fumble
Noun
  • Despite the full lineup and passionate patriotic crowd in Seattle, Team USA looked uncomfortable from the start, fell behind early, made sloppy mistakes and could not keep up with the Belgians, who move on to face Spain in the quarterfinals.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
  • The scribe carefully inscribed each line with a quill made from a goose feather, while their other hand wielded an erasing knife used to sharpen the quill and scrape away any mistakes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of mistake
Noun
  • McKinnon was a billionaire in 2021 and 2022 thanks to a surge in software stocks during the time, but saw his fortune tumble as part of a broad selloff that erased billions of dollars from technology valuations.
    — Kirk Ogunrinde, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • This highly competent, obsessive duo tumbles into a self-destructive cat-and-mouse dynamic — but who’s the cat and who’s the mouse?
    — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026
Definition of tumble
Verb
  • The styles incorporate features typically found in work shoes, including nano toe, steel toe, waterproof, electrical hazard protection, slip resistant outsoles and quick draw laces.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 June 2026
  • Circle’s stock slipped 13% after the announcement and now trades at $66 per share.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Definition of slip
Verb
  • The name Chelydra serpentina evokes colossal reptiles stomping through ancient forests.
    — Hannah Smith July 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026
  • If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
    — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
Definition of stomp

Phrases Containing stumble

Browse Nearby Words

stuffy
stumble
stumblebum
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Cite this Entry

“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stumble

Nglish: Translation of stumble for Spanish Speakers

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