stumble across/on/onto/upon
idiom
: to find or learn about (something) unexpectedly
I stumbled across/on/upon this book by chance.
We stumbled onto/across the ruins of an old fort.
They stumbled on/upon a bizarre plot.
He stumbled onto the truth.
Examples of stumble across/on/onto/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrons might stumble upon a thrash-metal band, a Van Halen tribute, an electro DJ or a 17-piece jazz ensemble — here, anything’s possible.
—
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 20 June 2025
Which gave others time to come inspect the bizarre scene themselves… or stumble upon it by accident, like one group of disc golfers who stumbled upon the small hammerhead and were (understandably) confused.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
With his original plan foiled, Simmons, 28, began wandering through the house, hoping to stumble upon something else.
—Jordan Greene, People.com, 22 May 2025
Clip-On Earrings When rummaging through a grandmother's jewelry box, you're almost guaranteed to stumble upon a pair of clip-on earrings.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble across/on/onto/upon
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John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 20 June 2025
Which gave others time to come inspect the bizarre scene themselves… or stumble upon it by accident, like one group of disc golfers who stumbled upon the small hammerhead and were (understandably) confused.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
With his original plan foiled, Simmons, 28, began wandering through the house, hoping to stumble upon something else.
—Jordan Greene, People.com, 22 May 2025
Clip-On Earrings When rummaging through a grandmother's jewelry box, you're almost guaranteed to stumble upon a pair of clip-on earrings.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble across/on/onto/upon
Cite this Entry
“Stumble across/on/onto/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble%20across%2Fon%2Fonto%2Fupon. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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