Synonyms of stumble

stumble 1 of 2

verb

ˈstəm-bəl 

1

as in to fall

to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily

the bride stumbled on the altar steps and landed smack in the arms of the minister

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fall
• slip
• trip
• tumble
• topple
• collapse
• plop
• slide
• crash
• skid
• plunge
• drop
• plummet
• crumple
• plunk
• precipitate
• wipe out
• slump (over)
• keel
• flump
• nose-dive
• free-fall

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stand (up)
• rise
• get up
• uprise

2

as in to struggle

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• struggle
• trudge
• blunder
• shuffle
• flounder
• limp
• fumble
• lurch
• jog
• bumble
• falter
• plod
• sway
• lumber
• stagger
• flog
• shamble
• reel
• totter
• wallow
• muddle
• welter
• teeter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coast
• fly
• glide
• sail
• zoom
• zip
• kilt

3

as in to shuffle

to move heavily or clumsily

the tipsy revelers left the path and wearily stumbled through the tangled undergrowth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shuffle
• stomp
• lurch
• trudge
• shamble
• slough
• flounder
• haul
• barge
• drag
• weave
• stagger
• clump
• lump
• scuff
• scuffle
• tramp
• pound
• stamp
• galumph
• plod
• stump
• slog
• lumber
• flog
• tromp
• sway
• flop
• totter
• blunder
• waddle
• reel
• wobble
• careen
• teeter
• dodder

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coast
• slide
• breeze
• glide
• hang
• drift
• whisk
• waltz
• float
• hover
• waft
• poise

4

as in to fumble

to make a mistake

that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumble
• trip
• blunder
• err
• slip up
• nod
• flub
• mistake
• misunderstand
• lay an egg
• screw up
• drop the ball
• goof (up)
• louse up
• fluff
• foul up
• boob
• mess (up)
• botch
• bungle
• misjudge
• miscalculate
• mangle
• butcher
• murder
• misconceive
• misinterpret
• mishandle
• misconstrue
• muff
• bobble
• miscue
• foozle
• miscount
• misdeem
• misgauge

stumble

2 of 2

noun

1

as in mistake

an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy

was his hurtful remark a regrettable stumble, or was it made with artful intention?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mistake
• blunder
• error
• fumble
• trip
• misstep
• slip
• flub
• brick
• miscue
• goof
• bobble
• inaccuracy
• fault
• gaff
• gaffe
• slipup
• lapse
• screwup
• boob
• clinker
• clanger
• fluff
• oversight
• boo-boo
• pratfall
• blooper
• bloomer
• misunderstanding
• howler
• snafu
• boner
• misreading
• misstatement
• miscalculation
• misinterpretation
• misjudgment
• misconstruction
• misconception
• misapprehension
• miscomprehension
• misdescription
• misimpression
• foul-up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accuracy
• precision
• exactness
• correctness
• exactitude
• strictness
• perfection
• infallibility
• preciseness
• inerrancy

2

as in fall

the act of going down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily

has bones so brittle that a minor stumble could result in a serious break

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fall
• tumble
• spill
• slip
• trip
• slide
• dive
• plunge
• skid
• misstep
• pratfall
• header
• descent
• free-fall

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stumble

Verb

Not everybody getting off the ride, stumbling to see their picture on the wall, agrees that the thrills were worth the chills. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Big banks made changes to overdraft fees and fraud protections following previous testimony, for example, while former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf abruptly resigned in 2016 after stumbling during hearings on the bank’s fake accounts scandal. — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026

Noun

Real breakthroughs rarely come without some stumbles and failures. — John Abou, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026

According to the rules of the game, Joker can only give his team members hints while the rest of the class watches and laughs at their stumbles. — Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing stumble

• stumble (on or onto)
• stumble (upon)