Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

stumble

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of stumble

1 an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy

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

blunder, bobble, boo-boo, boob [British], brick, clanger [British], clinker, error, fault, flub, fluff, fumble, gaff, gaffe, goof, inaccuracy, lapse, miscue, misstep, mistake, oversight, screwup, slip, slipup, trip
Words Related to stumble

bloomer, blooper, boner, howler, pratfall

foul-up, snafu

misapprehension, miscalculation, miscomprehension, misconception, misconstruction, miscue, misdescription, misimpression, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misreading, misstatement, misunderstanding
Near Antonyms of stumble

accuracy, correctness, exactitude, exactness, preciseness, precision, strictness

inerrancy, infallibility, perfection

2 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 of stumble

fall, slip, spill, tumble
Words Related to stumble

header, pratfall

misstep, trip

descent, dive, plunge, skid, slide

free-fall

stumble

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of stumble

1 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 of stumble

fall, slip, topple, trip, tumble
Words Related to stumble

collapse, crumple, drop, flump, keel, plop, plunk (or plonk), slump (over)

crash, free-fall, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, precipitate, wipe out

skid, slide
Antonyms of stumble

get up, rise, stand (up), uprise

2 to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

  • stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"
Synonyms of stumble

blunder, bumble, flog [British], flounder, limp, lumber, plod, struggle, trudge
Words Related to stumble

jog, shamble, shuffle

wallow, welter

falter, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter

fumble, muddle
Near Antonyms of stumble

coast, fly, glide, kilt, sail, zip, zoom

3 to move heavily or clumsily

  • the tipsy revelers left the path and wearily stumbled through the tangled undergrowth
Synonyms of stumble

barge, clump, flog [British], flounder, galumph, lumber, lump, plod, pound, scuff, scuffle, shamble, shuffle, slog, slough, stamp, stomp, stump, tramp, tromp, trudge
Words Related to stumble

drag, flop, haul

blunder, careen, dodder, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, waddle, weave, wobble (also wabble)
Near Antonyms of stumble

drift, float, hang, hover, poise, waft
Antonyms of stumble

breeze, coast, glide, slide, waltz, whisk

4 to make a mistake

  • that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
Synonyms of stumble

blunder, boob [British], err, flub, fluff, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), screw up, slip up, trip
Words Related to stumble

nod

bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, foozle, mangle, mishandle, muff, murder

miscalculate, misconceive, miscount, miscue, misdeem, misgauge, misjudge, mistake

misconstrue, misinterpret, misunderstand
Phrases Synonymous with stumble

drop the ball, lay an egg

Learn More about stumble

  1. See words that rhyme with stumble Dictionary: Definition of stumble Spanish Central: Translation of stumble Nglish: Translation of stumble for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stumble for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up stumble? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games