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
One of the best parts of working for a local news outlet is we that staffers can stumble across a wonderful story just by living our lives.
—
Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 10 Aug. 2025
Share One New Yorker stumbled upon the final day of the trial
Rebecca Cohen
To stumble upon the final day of Combs' trial by chance sounds nearly impossible, but a spectator outside the courthouse this evening had no intention of being there when her day started.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 3 July 2025
Consonant-heavy words lumber and stumble across a bumpy verbal landscape.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 13 June 2025
Make sure to have copies of any press release at your booth in case a journalist happens to stumble across your work.
—Nancy Marshall, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble across/on/onto/upon
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Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 10 Aug. 2025
Share One New Yorker stumbled upon the final day of the trial
Rebecca Cohen
To stumble upon the final day of Combs' trial by chance sounds nearly impossible, but a spectator outside the courthouse this evening had no intention of being there when her day started.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 3 July 2025
Consonant-heavy words lumber and stumble across a bumpy verbal landscape.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 13 June 2025
Make sure to have copies of any press release at your booth in case a journalist happens to stumble across your work.
—Nancy Marshall, Forbes.com, 3 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 21 Aug. 2025.
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