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
Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 May 2024
Further up the western coast, visitors will stumble upon a handful of sandy, west-facing beaches, including Jimbaran Beach and Dreamland Beach (aka New Kuta Beach).
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble 
Verb
The story flashes back to his younger, unmoored self (Jacob Elordi) who stumbles into a career as a documentarian and travels to Canada under the auspices of dodging the Vietnam draft, but is revealed to be running away from even more responsibilities.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 May 2024
Further up the western coast, visitors will stumble upon a handful of sandy, west-facing beaches, including Jimbaran Beach and Dreamland Beach (aka New Kuta Beach).
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 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 23 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share