stumble

1 of 2

verb

stum·​ble ˈstəm-bəl 

stumbled; stumbling ˈstəm-b(ə-)liŋ 

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

: bewilder, confound

stumbler

ˈstəm-b(ə-)lər 

noun

stumblingly

ˈstəm-b(ə-)liŋ-lē 

adverb

stumble

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of stumbling

Synonyms

Verb

• fall
• slip
• topple
• trip
• tumble

Noun

• blunder
• bobble
• boo-boo
• boob [British]
• brick
• clanger [British]
• clinker
• error
• fault
• flub
• fluff
• fumble
• gaff
• gaffe
• goof
• inaccuracy
• lapse
• miscue
• misstep
• mistake
• oversight
• screwup
• slip
• slipup
• trip

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

Weinstock acknowledged Paramount Pictures’ stumble in 2019 with its first take on a film featuring the beloved Sonic the Hedgehog video game character. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024

In footage of the bout, Lee stumbles around the arena in a daze once the fight stops, his face ripped and busted, a bright jam of blood covering his mouth and nose. —Aaron Timms, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024

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

Phrases Containing stumble

• stumble across/on/onto/upon
• stumble out of bed

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