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
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
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The Lakers are unlikely to catch either of those two teams, unless one stumbles and the Lakers keep winning.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Aaron Beard, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
On their last night together before Raissa leaves, the two stumble upon a strange portal that transports them to the island of Nakali, which is filled with mythological creatures pulled from Filipino folklore and mythology.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
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Verb
Because if not for that potential off-ramp of failing in the play-in and stumbling into the lottery, then the possibility of even more of this — a best-of-seven opening-round playoff series against an opponent that Wednesday night completed a 4-0 regular-season sweep.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The Lakers are unlikely to catch either of those two teams, unless one stumbles and the Lakers keep winning.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
Yet the stumbles under Davis that would’ve qualified as successes elsewhere struck at the core identity of a program with national brand-name relevance and ties to some of the sport’s biggest names like Smith, Williams, James Worthy, Michael Jordan and Vince Carter.
—Aaron Beard, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
On their last night together before Raissa leaves, the two stumble upon a strange portal that transports them to the island of Nakali, which is filled with mythological creatures pulled from Filipino folklore and mythology.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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