1
as in falls
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 struggles
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 shuffles
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 fumbles
to make a mistake
that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in mistakes
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 stumbles
Julia Gomez, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
The Lakers are unlikely to catch either of those two teams, unless one stumbles and the Lakers keep winning.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
The novel, for which PEOPLE can exclusively reveal the cover, follows Audrey Beacon, a grieving writer who stumbles upon a bookstore for sale during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Bleeding heavily, Waaler stumbles into a corridor and slowly takes his last breath as Hole, who jumped out at the floor above and ran back downstairs, watches, gun in hand.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
An explosion of green paint can be seen as Islas stumbles and screams in pain.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Written and illustrated by Lisa Horstman On a camping trip with her parents in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, an inquisitive girl slips out of her tent to explore after dark and stumbles upon the lively scene of a salamander ball.
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
West stumbles into the kitchen looking for some buffalo-chicken dip, wearing only a pair of shorts and a smile.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The stumbles provided ammunition to a bipartisan congressional rebellion that eventually led to overwhelming passage of a bill requiring release of all the files, although the DOJ has been slow to comply.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
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
John made a few stumbles after meeting Carolyn that nearly turned her off completely before their relationship had even begun.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Some of the team's biggest stars saw dramatic stumbles.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 Feb. 2026
Stoddard credited her team with helping her after the early stumbles.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
Around that time, public demonstrations of the humanoids often drew skepticism, such as a robot marathon in April that made headlines for stumbles, crashes and breakdowns.
—Dylan Butts,matthew Chin, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
The stumbles become part of the narrative rather than disqualifying moments.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
The man watches the train tracks, and as the train comes into view in the video, the man then pushes the victim, who stumbles forward.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
The Lakers are unlikely to catch either of those two teams, unless one stumbles and the Lakers keep winning.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
The novel, for which PEOPLE can exclusively reveal the cover, follows Audrey Beacon, a grieving writer who stumbles upon a bookstore for sale during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Bleeding heavily, Waaler stumbles into a corridor and slowly takes his last breath as Hole, who jumped out at the floor above and ran back downstairs, watches, gun in hand.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
An explosion of green paint can be seen as Islas stumbles and screams in pain.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Written and illustrated by Lisa Horstman On a camping trip with her parents in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, an inquisitive girl slips out of her tent to explore after dark and stumbles upon the lively scene of a salamander ball.
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026
West stumbles into the kitchen looking for some buffalo-chicken dip, wearing only a pair of shorts and a smile.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
Everyone hears for weeks about how improved the team is in spring training, and any stumbles out of the gate usually lead to serial harrumphing.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The stumbles provided ammunition to a bipartisan congressional rebellion that eventually led to overwhelming passage of a bill requiring release of all the files, although the DOJ has been slow to comply.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
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
John made a few stumbles after meeting Carolyn that nearly turned her off completely before their relationship had even begun.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Some of the team's biggest stars saw dramatic stumbles.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 Feb. 2026
Stoddard credited her team with helping her after the early stumbles.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
Around that time, public demonstrations of the humanoids often drew skepticism, such as a robot marathon in April that made headlines for stumbles, crashes and breakdowns.
—Dylan Butts,matthew Chin, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
The stumbles become part of the narrative rather than disqualifying moments.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbles
Verb
-
Grapevine surges from behind, falls short Lake Creek provided most of the pressure early in the match, keeping the ball in Grapevine’s end and getting off six shots before the Mustangs started pressing in the 26th minute.—
Charles Baggarly & Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, once an aristocratic mansion, falls somewhere between the avant-garde works at the Reina Sofia and the traditional Spanish art at the Prado.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The rickshaws have become increasingly popular in Sierra Leone, filling the gaps in a strained public transport system as the West African country struggles to recover from its 1991-2002 civil war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Car launches are generally ghastly events, and this was way down there with the most hideous… and perhaps gave a clue as to why VW struggles to match its huge European sales success in America.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If the creditor fumbles the process, then an otherwise valid and collectible debt may be barred.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Sonny feels like a departure; unlike Bernthal’s mercenaries, Sonny fumbles with his gun, has a bleeding heart, and lays his vulnerabilities bare.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Here are 11 companion planting mistakes to avoid as much as possible in your garden.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
-
What does the show think of mistakes?—
Marilyn La Jeunesse,
Parents,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After a number of tumbles through the incoming crashing waves, Phan grabbed ahold of the shark's tail and fearlessly guided it back into the ocean, prompting cheers from onlookers.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Beneath the twists and tumbles of its plot, Reddick’s play is concerned with the people and communities that never profit when power seeks to increase itself — children, poor folks, Black folks.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As in trips to the postseason, not trips down memory lane.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Sometimes, a virus trips a switch that results in the immune system turning on the host, even after the invader has departed.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
However, even as the team trudges to a play-in spot rather than a top seed, Green was adamant that the Warriors’ standard of competitiveness cannot change.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
His previous book, The Village Idiot (2022), explored the historical reality of the early-twentieth-century School of Paris artists from the dreamlike perspective of the expressionist painter Chaïm Soutine, who trudges beneath the Seine in a diving suit.—
Cathleen Schine,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbles. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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