STUMBLING (ON OR ONTO) Synonyms: 21 Similar Words

stumbling (on or onto)

verb

present participle of stumble (on or onto)

as in finding

to come upon unexpectedly or by chance stumbled on some old family photos when she was cleaning out a drawer

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling (on or onto)

Verb

The center back would immediately shoot the ball, which took a fortunate bounce immediately outside the goal area before finding the bottom-left corner of the net.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
When a server migration wipes out Sally’s treasured videos of him — and her phone containing backup copies accidentally shatters — the only hope is finding the original tapes.

— Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of finding

Verb

The incident began shortly before noon, when California Highway Patrol officers reported encountering a person armed with a knife during a traffic violation, according to the sheriff's office.

— Richard Ramos, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Yiyun Li on encountering the past in writing Music Against the Night.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of encountering

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.

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stumbling blocks

stumbling (on or onto)

stumbling (upon)

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“Stumbling (on or onto).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20%28on%20or%20onto%29. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stumbling (on or onto)

verb

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