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
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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
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Recent Examples of stumble
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Based on a true story, Erin Brockovich follows the titular law firm worker who stumbles upon records involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company's culpability in a contamination incident.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
Andrew Jones, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Jackson performed the national anthem before the New York Mets’ opening night game at Citi Field, and a brief stumble on the lyrics drew widespread attention on social media.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
And even as Netflix seems determined to develop every possible riff on the reality dating show format, there are bound to be a few crazy ideas that nobody has stumbled onto yet.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Based on a true story, Erin Brockovich follows the titular law firm worker who stumbles upon records involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company's culpability in a contamination incident.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
In North Carolina, the insurance plan's stumbles have added another layer of complication around health care issues.
—Andrew Jones, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Jackson performed the national anthem before the New York Mets’ opening night game at Citi Field, and a brief stumble on the lyrics drew widespread attention on social media.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
-
Cortisol levels fell for both groups, according to the study.—
Mikayla Bunnell,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Put simply, prices must fall still further in these metros for shoppers to cover the monthly nut.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Predator ranks growing California is struggling to manage the behavior of other predators whose ranks are growing thanks to the state’s conservation programs and endangered species protections.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
His campaign goals included reinstating and expanding bus services, attracting additional low-income housing options through federal and state grants, and increasing resource distribution by the city to homeless residents and those struggling with addiction.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Born from the embers of the eighties band Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, led by the singer and guitarist Amelia Fletcher, shuffled forward with her riffy, effervescent playing style, gradually growing more sophisticated across four LPs and an EP, without any loss of buoyancy.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This is where the city stages its daily open-air show — street artists sketching portraits, fortune-tellers shuffling cards and musicians playing for appreciative crowds.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the 88th minute, Neuer fumbled a routine shot and allowed Joselu to equalise.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Fans were exiting en masse in the top of the ninth when Frelick’s RBI single off Rule 5 rookie Ryan Watson, fumbled by reigning AL Gold Glove centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, increased Milwaukee’s lead to three.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And it's allowed for a lot of mistakes.—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
-
In some cases, that décor mistake can inadvertently make a space feel cluttered.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The best eucalyptus sets are also the ones durable enough to withstand multiple washing machine cycles and stand up to tumble drying, wool balls or not.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
10 Apr. 2026
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Back then, purists grumbled that the modern reinterpretation of the British classic departed from the rough and tumble identity of Defenders past.—
John Scott Lewinski,
Robb Report,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hughes says buyers had just started to get comfortable with rates around six percent, and that the higher that number goes the more that comfort begins to slip.—
Brad Hamilton,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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But the Ducks managed just one shot on goal during the long power play, and Skjei slipped past Anaheim’s leaky defense on a breakaway and snapped a shot over Dostal’s right shoulder for a short-handed goal and a 3-0 lead with 58 seconds left in the second.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s the sound of clogs slowly stomping back into the spotlight.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For pretty much every gamer alive today, those first few notes induce an almost Pavlovian response — sparking an urge to grab a controller on your lap that isn’t actually there and bringing to mind comfortable, warm memories of stomping Goombas and riding Yoshi on a quest to save Princess Peach.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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