1
as in to fall
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to struggle
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
the tipsy revelers left the path and wearily stumbled through the tangled undergrowth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
was his hurtful remark a regrettable stumble, or was it made with artful intention?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stumble
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Longtime collaborator Alex Lockett returns to direct the clip, an upstairs/downstairs concept which follows Antonoff on struggle street, stumbling into randoms and flapping about in the rain.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2026
Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
Many parents’ anxieties about their kid stem from a personal fear—that a bad grade means their child won’t get into a good college, that a stumble today could derail their future.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
Shares stumbled last week on news about job openings in December hitting their lowest level in five years as investors tried to assess the health of the economy and figure out whether to cash in on pricey stocks.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Longtime collaborator Alex Lockett returns to direct the clip, an upstairs/downstairs concept which follows Antonoff on struggle street, stumbling into randoms and flapping about in the rain.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
His teams won five College World Series titles — three at Fullerton and two at Texas — and left an enduring impact of triumph with some stumbles and plenty of laughs along the way.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
Many parents’ anxieties about their kid stem from a personal fear—that a bad grade means their child won’t get into a good college, that a stumble today could derail their future.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
-
The wait time can fall anywhere between six minutes and six hours.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Dua Lipa and Callum Turner, as a powerhouse couple, that fall more in step with the likes of Hailey and Justin Bieber’s individual style statements than, say, Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet’s joint method dressing.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Buehler struggled in Boston, but looked good enough during his brief time with the Phillies to generate interest from the Padres and other teams.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Fefferman questioned why board members and the public have struggled to obtain detailed financial information.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That left the Broncos with no option but to grab their bags and shuffle along the final icy stretch before reaching the safety of indoors.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
19 Feb. 2026
-
To use Smith at the top of the lineup would likely require the Rangers to shuffle the leadoff hitter against lefties, thus creating more moving parts.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Do not fumble this opportunity to select a governor that is a true progressive candidate.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
In turn, the Heat fumbled it away.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But making a mistake can mean you get hit with an inaccurate tax bill or, worse, an audit.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Trying to fix a mistake before someone finds out?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Kauf's tumble against Canada's Perrine Laffont came after Laffont herself had crashed and skied off the course, meaning the American only had to get up, dust herself off and make it to the bottom of the hill.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Trump’s ratings on immigration tumble as Americans lose confidence in his top issue.—
Marissa Martinez,
NBC news,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Beer that turned green − possibly a chemical reaction with the drugs Dominque Pelicot had been slipping into her drinks and food to render her unconscious for the rapes.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
According to the National Center for State Courts, Connecticut ranks 21st in wages for general jurisdiction judges, but that slips to 42nd once adjusted for regional differences in cost of living.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
All those girls knew how to stomp.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Ciara is thawing towards West, and getting goats for the party helped, even though one stomped all over Levi’s face.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
