stumble

1 of 2

verb

stum·​ble ˈstəm-bəl How to pronounce stumble (audio)
stumbled; stumbling ˈstəm-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce stumble (audio)

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1
: to cause to stumble : trip
2
stumbler noun
stumblingly adverb

stumble

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of stumbling

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
Verb
The Republicans sat like stubborn sourpusses eager for the 81-year-old president to stumble. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 In those six Mountain West road stumbles, the Aztecs were out-shot from the floor in all but one. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 Two years ago, German doctors stumbled across news reports of a man being investigated for receiving scores of coronavirus vaccines with no medical explanation. Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Every item stumbled upon recalls a memory that’s been etched in stone, paying homage to the past while emotions cloud-up the present. Holly Jones, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 In the promo, Brolin stumbles upon Kearney and Walker having a casual one-on-one game in Studio 8H. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 More than two decades ago, a surveyor trekking a California canyon stumbled upon human remains. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 About 54 years ago, a boy scout troop leader in Sauvie Island, Oregon stumbled upon a shallow grave. Juliana Kim, NPR, 25 Feb. 2024 Pico also stumbled to stoppage losses in three of his first seven bouts. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Noun
That political weakness has been accentuated by occasional trips, falls and verbal stumbles that are recirculated on social media with far more velocity than any triumphant clips from his speeches. Nicholas Nehamas, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Marvel meanwhile is retooling in response to their stumbles in theaters and on streaming, and 2024 is already expected to deliver precisely the sort of box office and critical/audience reactions that put the MCU right back on track when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters July 26th. Mark Hughes, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Some indicators point to further stock market gains Despite the sharp stumble on Feb. 13 over lingering inflation worries, the stock market has been performing well of late, and that might bode well for the rest of the year. The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024 Before Her Eyes Swift's gigs in Tokyo also included an onstage stumble during the Folklore portion of her Feb. 9 concert. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2024 Ross would very likely still be on the job if not for a 12-19 stumble to the finish line last season, which played a big role in the decision to swipe Counsell from the rival Milwaukee Brewers. Phil Rogers, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 And research in the journal Gait & Posture suggests all this could reduce balance and increase the risk of stumbles or falls. Markham Heid, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2024 Josie and Jim's date in the moonlight is an awkward but intense pas de deux of sweet romantic moments and clumsy emotional stumbles. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2024 Nikki Haley's 2024 campaign has growing popularity -- and several recent 'stumbles,' experts say Both Haley and DeSantis vowed to carry on after losing to Trump in the Iowa caucuses. Abby Cruz, ABC News, 16 Jan. 2024

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.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect stumle to stumble

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stumble was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near stumble

Cite this Entry

“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stumble

verb
stum·​ble
ˈstəm-bəl
stumbled; stumbling
-b(ə-)liŋ
1
: to trip in walking or running
2
a
: to walk unsteadily
b
: to speak or act in a hesitant or clumsy manner
3
: to come or happen unexpectedly or by chance
stumbled onto the ruins of an old fort
stumble noun
stumbler
-b(ə-)lər
noun
stumblingly
-b(ə-)liŋ-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on stumble

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