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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stumbles
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
The first robot stumbles on aluminum debris, its wheels furiously trying to get traction and move around the obstacle.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Roher and co-writer Robert Ramsay craft a classically structured screenplay about a talented piano tuner who stumbles into a life of crime, upon which Roher, editor Greg O’Bryant, and composer Will Bates embroider jazzy rhythms and inflections, inspired by the musical world our characters inhabit.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Bargatze stars as Nate Wilcox, a successful salesman who stumbles into a chaotic life as a stay-at-home dad to three daughters after his wife, Katie (Mandy Moore), lands a life-changing deal on Shark Tank to put her household invention into play.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Set during the summer of 1975, Sessa stars as a 19-year-old Bourdain who travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 15 May 2026
After an embarrassing encounter — Wells, working as a janitor, stumbles upon Graham naked in the locker room — the two make an arrangement.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Each of the three Petite Plume x Tkees arrivals was handcrafted in Brazil, coming to you with impressive traction to avoid unfortunate slips on the deck or stumbles on the sand.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 May 2026
As Laugier’s story continues, the man wanders through a forest, stumbles upon fallen branches, and has an epiphany.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 June 2026
While there has been incremental progress on AI features over the past two years, there have also been lots of stumbles, mostly notably failing to upgrade Siri in a meaningful way until now.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 June 2026
While the traditional fueling sector stumbles, wholesale clubs are emerging as a major exception to the downturn.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
The recovery was marked by additional stumbles, reversing course on traffic checkpoints, tax relief for wildfire victims and the need for a single recovery chief.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Arteta and Arsenal have also had to withstand almighty pressure and a media that have feasted on every one of their stumbles.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
There have been some other stumbles as well, and sometimes litigation.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026
Clearly, there have been more than a few stumbles along the way, but this week, the long-running saga got a new verse as the first validation models were assembled, bringing the EV one step closer to the market.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
Tom Harkin, a former Democratic senator from Iowa, said Trump’s stumbles have created an opportunity for change.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
Verb
After a rocky start, Joey stumbles on some talents and goes to great lengths to impress Leonard in his audition for a play.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
The first robot stumbles on aluminum debris, its wheels furiously trying to get traction and move around the obstacle.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Roher and co-writer Robert Ramsay craft a classically structured screenplay about a talented piano tuner who stumbles into a life of crime, upon which Roher, editor Greg O’Bryant, and composer Will Bates embroider jazzy rhythms and inflections, inspired by the musical world our characters inhabit.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Bargatze stars as Nate Wilcox, a successful salesman who stumbles into a chaotic life as a stay-at-home dad to three daughters after his wife, Katie (Mandy Moore), lands a life-changing deal on Shark Tank to put her household invention into play.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Set during the summer of 1975, Sessa stars as a 19-year-old Bourdain who travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 15 May 2026
After an embarrassing encounter — Wells, working as a janitor, stumbles upon Graham naked in the locker room — the two make an arrangement.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Each of the three Petite Plume x Tkees arrivals was handcrafted in Brazil, coming to you with impressive traction to avoid unfortunate slips on the deck or stumbles on the sand.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 May 2026
As Laugier’s story continues, the man wanders through a forest, stumbles upon fallen branches, and has an epiphany.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Noun
But the Senate Democratic Caucus isn’t united behind him, and his series of stumbles has some in the party contending that Collins’ defeat is no longer a prerequisite to winning the majority.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 June 2026
While there has been incremental progress on AI features over the past two years, there have also been lots of stumbles, mostly notably failing to upgrade Siri in a meaningful way until now.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 June 2026
While the traditional fueling sector stumbles, wholesale clubs are emerging as a major exception to the downturn.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
The recovery was marked by additional stumbles, reversing course on traffic checkpoints, tax relief for wildfire victims and the need for a single recovery chief.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Arteta and Arsenal have also had to withstand almighty pressure and a media that have feasted on every one of their stumbles.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
There have been some other stumbles as well, and sometimes litigation.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026
Clearly, there have been more than a few stumbles along the way, but this week, the long-running saga got a new verse as the first validation models were assembled, bringing the EV one step closer to the market.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
Tom Harkin, a former Democratic senator from Iowa, said Trump’s stumbles have created an opportunity for change.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbles
Verb
-
When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the latter being the case for January’s payment, SSI payments are issued on the last weekday of the previous month.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Dec. 2025
-
So most of them [films] at the time, there’s the melodrama — the poor girl falls with a rich boy, and then the family against her, blah, blah, same old story.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Jarring, shuddery close-ups illustrate the never-ending emotional spiral of its main character, Linda (Byrne), who struggles to raise a kid who has a chronic health issue while keeping her home and career stable.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
9 Dec. 2025
-
In particular, China struggles to manufacture the most advanced chips, putting it behind the world’s largest chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
As the group shuffles toward catastrophe, Verbinski intercuts their mission with flashbacks to their civilian lives.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This makes the Legion Tower a fine set-it-and-forget-it PC gaming rig that fumbles on upgradability, which many PC gamers find crucial.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The premise has the potential for slapstick silliness, as an incompetent Seoul family fumbles its way through opening a hunting lodge in the Korean countryside.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But Boutros has acknowledged mistakes made in the case involving the Broadview protesters.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
Shipping was expensive, and coordination was hard, which made mistakes costly.—
Scott Breitenother,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The tumbles and trust falls might start to scare you, but this is hardly these clowns’ first rodeo.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
14 June 2026
-
After two climbing holes, the par-5 third tumbles downhill, revealing a basin stretching for miles.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
View from the East Wing includes reflections on four years in the White House as First Lady—a period that included COVID, the start of the war in Ukraine, trips overseas, and initiatives to bolster women’s health and community colleges.—
Julia Terruso,
Time,
11 June 2026
-
Brown has four championships as an assistant and seven Finals trips overall.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
1 June 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
-
So, Bundle gets all three of her men, but trudges back home in heartbroken tears.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbles. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
