1
as in fell
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 struggled
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 shuffled
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 fumbled
to make a mistake
that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stumbled
With Colorado on the power play, the Avs icon lost the puck near the Minnesota blue line and stumbled while retreating.
—
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
But Musk stumbled at least seven times in ways that possibly put his chances at winning in jeopardy.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
After starting the season with the sixth-best odds to win the World Series, the Red Sox had stumbled out of the gate to a 10-17 record.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
The president briefly stumbled before being assisted to a secure suite reserved for him behind the stage.
—Calvin Woodward, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
During a routine survey in preparation for a housing development in Winsch, local authorities stumbled upon the former Roman camp in August 2025.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Clemson also stumbled to a 7-6 mark, a year after registering a 10-4 record in 2024.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Last year, a Florida man stumbled upon a shipwreck believed to date back 150 years.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
But lately, beachgoers along Southern California’s coast have stumbled upon something especially striking — a vivid purple marine animal that looks, at first glance, like a mushroom from another world.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
But Musk stumbled at least seven times in ways that possibly put his chances at winning in jeopardy.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
After starting the season with the sixth-best odds to win the World Series, the Red Sox had stumbled out of the gate to a 10-17 record.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
The president briefly stumbled before being assisted to a secure suite reserved for him behind the stage.
—Calvin Woodward, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
During a routine survey in preparation for a housing development in Winsch, local authorities stumbled upon the former Roman camp in August 2025.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Clemson also stumbled to a 7-6 mark, a year after registering a 10-4 record in 2024.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
Last year, a Florida man stumbled upon a shipwreck believed to date back 150 years.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
But lately, beachgoers along Southern California’s coast have stumbled upon something especially striking — a vivid purple marine animal that looks, at first glance, like a mushroom from another world.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbled
Verb
-
But before he was felled at age 68 by a heart attack, Joiner had shared what was in the briefcase with the lead Louisiana State Police investigator on the case, Stefan Montgomery, Joiner's son and the LSP confirmed.—
Stephanie Gosk,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
-
John Adams famously wrote to his wife, Abigail, that smallpox was killing 10 soldiers for every one felled in battle.—
Katrine L. Wallace,
The Conversation,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The more epistemically rigorous elements in the coalition have struggled to make common cause with these lower-information voters.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Both struggled with foul trouble, and the Knicks outscored Philly 56-30 in the paint, yet the Sixers were still a few baskets away from evening the best-of-seven series.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Carlos Mendoza isn’t to blame, nor are this group of players, who are being shuffled around the field like Yahtzee dice.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
While the administration has shuffled funding to pay DHS employees during the shutdown, those funds are expected to dry up in the first week of May if Congress doesn’t act beforehand.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trailing to Jule Brand's 19th-minute goal for record eight-time champion Lyon, Arsenal was gifted an equalizer in the 59th when Mariona Caldentey's low free kick into the area was fumbled backward by goalkeeper Christiane Endler and onto the post.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Critics say the Epstein files show how Republican and Democratic administrations alike fumbled the Epstein investigation over two decades, leaving potential coconspirators uncharged.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The boy tried to run away but tripped and the beaver bit him on the upper thigh and continued to attack him.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
But a federal judge sided with Biden-era Justice Department officials that such a combination tripped antitrust rules.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Padres fielders blundered in three of his outings.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
People see this president as having blundered into a war with no clear rationale.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Guest shark Rashaun Williams strapped on his court shoes, wiped them on their mini mat and stomped onto their court.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Dedicating that much shelf space to the New York Yankees, as your organization gets stomped into the ground by them, at home?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The biotechnology stock slipped almost 2% after the company only slightly increased its full year forecast.—
Davis Giangiulio,Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
-
Mission slipped into 2025 because ULA needed more Vulcan rocket hardware beyond Cert-2 and the two USSF missions that took priority over the Dream Chaser flight.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbled. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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