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
Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024
Video footage shows the soldier stumbling and falling down on the street and Uribe lifting him off the street and guiding him to a sidewalk where he was left.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024
Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2024
In the aftermath, NBC’s public stumble turned into a point of contention on the presidential campaign trail.
—Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble 
Verb
The father began increasing the speed, causing Corey to stumble and fall.
—Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024
Video footage shows the soldier stumbling and falling down on the street and Uribe lifting him off the street and guiding him to a sidewalk where he was left.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024
Noun
Some experienced advice on how Biden should handle the age issue
Feb. 14, 2024
By agreeing to two debates, and no more, Biden limits the risks of a campaign-jeopardizing stumble.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2024
In the aftermath, NBC’s public stumble turned into a point of contention on the presidential campaign trail.
—Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 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 6 Jun. 2024.
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