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
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Imagine thrift shopping and stumbling upon an item made famous by Kim Kardashian.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
Despite the stumbles, xAI has continued to land partnerships and deals.
—Samantha Subin,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
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Verb
Stocks stumbled into the end of the year, with the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq each falling four days in a row to close out 2025.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Imagine thrift shopping and stumbling upon an item made famous by Kim Kardashian.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Noun
Elon Musk’s up-and-down year wrapped with one final stumble.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
Despite the stumbles, xAI has continued to land partnerships and deals.
—Samantha Subin,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 2 Jan. 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 9 Jan. 2026.
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