Synonyms of stumbled

stumbled

verb

past tense of stumble

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

• fell
• tripped
• slipped
• tumbled
• toppled
• collapsed
• skidded
• plopped
• slid
• plunged
• crumpled
• dropped
• crashed
• plunked
• plummeted
• keeled
• precipitated
• slumped (over)
• wiped out
• flumped
• nose-dived
• free-fell

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stood (up)
• rose
• got up
• uprose

2

as in struggled

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• struggled
• blundered
• trudged
• floundered
• shuffled
• limped
• lurched
• fumbled
• jogged
• bumbled
• plodded
• lumbered
• faltered
• swayed
• reeled
• shambled
• flogged
• staggered
• tottered
• wallowed
• teetered
• muddled
• weltered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sailed
• flew
• glided
• coasted
• zoomed
• zipped
• kilted

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

• shuffled
• stomped
• lurched
• weaved
• barged
• trudged
• floundered
• shambled
• dragged
• stamped
• hauled
• tramped
• sloughed
• stumped
• pounded
• scuffled
• clumped
• lumped
• staggered
• scuffed
• plodded
• lumbered
• galumphed
• slogged
• flopped
• tromped
• swayed
• flogged
• blundered
• reeled
• waddled
• tottered
• careened
• wobbled
• teetered
• doddered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slid
• glided
• whisked
• drifted
• floated
• hung
• waltzed
• coasted
• hovered
• breezed
• poised
• wafted

4

as in fumbled

to make a mistake

that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fumbled
• tripped
• blundered
• nodded
• erred
• slipped up
• flubbed
• mistook
• fluffed
• screwed up
• dropped the ball
• laid an egg
• misunderstood
• fouled up
• goofed (up)
• boobed
• mangled
• messed (up)
• loused up
• bungled
• murdered
• muffed
• misjudged
• botched
• butchered
• miscalculated
• bobbled
• misconceived
• misinterpreted
• misconstrued
• mishandled
• miscounted
• miscued
• foozled
• misgauged
• misdeemed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stumbled

One day, in Korea, near the Chosin Reservoir, his marine division stumbled into a surprise attack by a hundred thousand Chinese infantry. — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

Chipmakers have stumbled as some investors are taking profits after strong rallies. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 July 2026

After extensive research online, Shahniani stumbled upon a voice acting profile for Mike Brassell, the ride’s original narrator. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

Miners flooded the dusty flats surrounding this area after three Irish prospectors, who had immigrated to Australia in the hopes of making their fortunes, accidentally stumbled across gold while looking for water in 1893. — Justin Meneguzzi, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026

The ghost was said to be the widow of a lighthouse keeper who had stumbled off the cliff one night and fell to his death on the rocky beach below. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

The hole was discovered in early April when a volunteer on a weekend cemetery clean-up day stumbled upon it. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026

The day after the earthquakes, some volunteers stumbled upon a 7-year-old boy named Mateo, shirtless and covered in debris, sitting by himself on a sidewalk in La Guaira. — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026

The Lakers stumbled without James for 17 games and missed the playoffs again. — Jason Jones, New York Times, 1 July 2026