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
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
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Falling back to the pack and seven points shy of San Jose, which won 4-1 at BMO Stadium on Sunday, LAFC has seen its recent MLS stumbles coincide with advancing to a two-leg CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, which commences Wednesday at BMO Stadium and ends May 6 in Toluca, Mexico.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
In the final cut, Mabel accidentally stumbles upon research being done by her biology professor (Kathy Najimy), discovers the technology, and hijacks a robot beaver.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
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
After some stumbles with AI in 2024, Apple has been largely sitting on the sidelines of the AI race.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
The stumbles seen on race day were largely engineering hiccups—hardware tuning, stability margins—not fundamental limits of AI.
—Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
The bullpen even found some redemption after two late stumbles in New York.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
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
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Falling back to the pack and seven points shy of San Jose, which won 4-1 at BMO Stadium on Sunday, LAFC has seen its recent MLS stumbles coincide with advancing to a two-leg CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, which commences Wednesday at BMO Stadium and ends May 6 in Toluca, Mexico.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
In the final cut, Mabel accidentally stumbles upon research being done by her biology professor (Kathy Najimy), discovers the technology, and hijacks a robot beaver.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
After some stumbles with AI in 2024, Apple has been largely sitting on the sidelines of the AI race.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
The stumbles seen on race day were largely engineering hiccups—hardware tuning, stability margins—not fundamental limits of AI.
—Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
The bullpen even found some redemption after two late stumbles in New York.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbles
Verb
-
Chelsea’s squad demographic falls somewhere in between but is probably closer to the former than the latter, and a football legend with his resume should not encounter the authority problems faced by owner BlueCo’s previous hires.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
And that’s why—but that doesn’t make sense because the money falls from the ceiling.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
By slow degrees, Philip’s story shifts to accommodate the incontrovertible evidence of IP addresses and deciphered cryptography and Lucy struggles to keep up, let alone understand.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
Courtesy Christine Russo Christine Russo, Dominic Russo’s older sister, who participated in the Netflix documentary, said her family still struggles with his loss.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
15 May 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
-
The movie fumbles the chance to do something arresting with this seminal period in art.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
12 May 2026
-
If the creditor fumbles the process, then an otherwise valid and collectible debt may be barred.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the report, the auditor general points out multiple concerning examples of mistakes in those summaries that could have a direct and negative impact on a patient’s subsequent care.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
-
Sandwiched between those mistakes was a diving grab on a sinking line drive by Gorman in the sixth.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 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
-
Luckily, The Danna is perfectly placed for good day trips out.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
-
Also trips to Arizona and a matchup with Illinois in Chicago to complete home-and-home agreements from last season.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
29 Apr. 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 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
