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"
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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
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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?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stumble
Matt Schubert, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Love Island had shifted what had previously been an unshakable self-identification and stumbled into comic profundity.
—Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
ABC News, 4 May 2026
Streep’s second go-round, by contrast, unfolds as a series of micro-indignities—a plunge from her Olympian perch, one stumble at a time.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
He was fired two years later, however, after LSU stumbled to a 6-6 regular season, and was eventually replaced by Brian Kelly.
—Matt Schubert, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Love Island had shifted what had previously been an unshakable self-identification and stumbled into comic profundity.
—Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
Noun
Tom Harkin, a former Democratic senator from Iowa, said Trump’s stumbles have created an opportunity for change.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
Streep’s second go-round, by contrast, unfolds as a series of micro-indignities—a plunge from her Olympian perch, one stumble at a time.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
-
Trees with root problems and those near sidewalks or drives are the first to fall too.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
But while our bodies can develop immunity to viruses, even the savviest of travelers can fall victim to pickpockets on their travels.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
The two finished atop a crowded field that also featured Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who both struggled to break through in a GOP contest overshadowed by the feud between the two front-runners.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
-
Mergers might encourage other states to offer similar programs as a way of funnelling more students into struggling four-year campuses.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Women in America’s boardrooms made strides as corporations shuffled their mostly White and male lineups in the face of the historic pushback in 2020.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
Tall soldiers in bearskin caps shuffled a few inches to the left, or right, to give the parade its proper visual proportions.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The stress of getting to your airport gate on time, coupled with the excitement of getting to your destination, can cause even the most seasoned of travelers to fumble at security checkpoints.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
-
Santillan appears to be fumbling away his opportunity, allowing nine runs (eight earned) over his last five appearances.—
Mike Barner,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Make no mistake, so are all Jews as a people.—
Samuel S. Flax,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
Some travelers argued Carnival should honor the bookings despite the apparent pricing mistake.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
The trick is sticking to fabrics that handle the rough-and-tumble of travel.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
For deep cleanings, detach the rug cover from its pad, machine wash the cover separately in cold water using a mild, non-bleach detergent and tumble-dry on air fluff mode or lay flat.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The pair will remain visible for a few hours after sunset, before slipping from view below the spring horizon.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
-
Underlying profit, which strips out non-trading items, slipped 8% to $458 million.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Grgich stomped grapes at age 3.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
15 May 2026
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International researchers have officially identified Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, a massive dinosaur that has stomped its way into the record books as the largest ever found in Southeast Asia.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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