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
Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
That, along with Trevor Lawrence’s stumbling and bumbling game winner Monday evening, led to yours truly spending Tuesday night rewatching every touchdown through five weeks of 2025.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Chris Branch, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
That combination—faster brain-body reactions and stronger muscles—can mean the difference between a harmless stumble and a life-altering fall.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
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Verb
In the movie, June Squibb plays an elderly Jewish woman who stumbles into a support group at the local Jewish Community Center and adopts her best friend’s experiences as her own.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
That, along with Trevor Lawrence’s stumbling and bumbling game winner Monday evening, led to yours truly spending Tuesday night rewatching every touchdown through five weeks of 2025.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
Don’t let a little stumble keep you out of the end zone today.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
That combination—faster brain-body reactions and stronger muscles—can mean the difference between a harmless stumble and a life-altering fall.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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