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
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
The trio stumbles upon a crucial piece of evidence - and promptly compromises it.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Grisham’s novel tells the story of Rudy Baylor, a fresh-out-of-law-school upstart who stumbles onto the case of a lifetime.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
In the opening scene, a man takes a short cut through a forest and stumbles upon a live artillery shell which kicks off a chain of events that shape the lives of the characters involved.
—Michael Jerome Plunkett
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Expecting dull days and strict rules, the boy instead stumbles into a world of delightful chaos and imagination – where outrageous stories are spun, and a world of wonder, memory, and mischief unfolds.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
In 1972, Hannes (Enzo Brumm), a gangly farm boy adrift in a hedonistic haze of hormones and counterculture, stumbles upon a revelation through his contact with a love interest’s geranium.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
The vault door is open and the city’s entire police force stumbles upon Batista’s body, Prater’s trophies and most importantly, the file on the New York Ripper, whose identity unfortunately remains a mystery… for now.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
The dejected actor stumbles over to a marketplace to buy a drink, shoplift a lighter, and strike out with a lottery ticket.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Sep. 2025
Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Those early stumbles may have been a blessing in disguise.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
In the second installment of the franchise, Odenkirk returns as Hutch Mansell, the mild-mannered suburban husband and dad with a dark past stumbles into trouble while taking his family on vacation.
—William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Sweetgreen’s stumbles have reinforced doubts about whether premium salad chains can thrive in today’s value-conscious dining environment, especially as hybrid work saps the desk-lunch crowd and consumers search for more affordable options.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
As first reported by Deadline, the plot follows a boy who stumbles upon a secret late-night broadcast of lizards playing otherworldly music, after which a hidden door to the extraordinary swings open.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
The trio stumbles upon a crucial piece of evidence - and promptly compromises it.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Grisham’s novel tells the story of Rudy Baylor, a fresh-out-of-law-school upstart who stumbles onto the case of a lifetime.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
In the opening scene, a man takes a short cut through a forest and stumbles upon a live artillery shell which kicks off a chain of events that shape the lives of the characters involved.
—Michael Jerome Plunkett
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Expecting dull days and strict rules, the boy instead stumbles into a world of delightful chaos and imagination – where outrageous stories are spun, and a world of wonder, memory, and mischief unfolds.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
In 1972, Hannes (Enzo Brumm), a gangly farm boy adrift in a hedonistic haze of hormones and counterculture, stumbles upon a revelation through his contact with a love interest’s geranium.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
The vault door is open and the city’s entire police force stumbles upon Batista’s body, Prater’s trophies and most importantly, the file on the New York Ripper, whose identity unfortunately remains a mystery… for now.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
The dejected actor stumbles over to a marketplace to buy a drink, shoplift a lighter, and strike out with a lottery ticket.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
Head coach Éric Chelle, tasked with steadying the ship after recent stumbles, kept his cards close.
—Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Those early stumbles may have been a blessing in disguise.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
In the second installment of the franchise, Odenkirk returns as Hutch Mansell, the mild-mannered suburban husband and dad with a dark past stumbles into trouble while taking his family on vacation.
—William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Sweetgreen’s stumbles have reinforced doubts about whether premium salad chains can thrive in today’s value-conscious dining environment, especially as hybrid work saps the desk-lunch crowd and consumers search for more affordable options.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbles
Verb
-
Fall foliage appears when leaves change from green to yellow, orange, and red, then falls from the trees, said Brandon Fuller, a doctoral candidate and lecturer in the biology department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
If the neighbor is smoking weed on private property doesn’t belong to them or their neighbor, Rosenthal said the responsibility to take action falls on the landlord.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But if a team struggles to run the ball or pass the ball, the head coach is left to praise… the kicking game.—
Howard Megdal,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Ansari’s main idea was to show the gig economy, and those stuck on the lower end of the economic scale’s struggles just to say alive.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Because global air travel shuffles millions of people around the world daily, an outbreak of a very contagious disease anywhere can become a threat everywhere.—
Amy E. Stambach,
The Conversation,
12 Aug. 2025
-
With Noni Madueke doubled up on out wide, Zubimendi shuffles backwards to receive the pass, and then fires a pass into Martin Odegaard, breaking the first two lines of the opposition’s 4-4-2 defensive block.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Lake Mary’s O’Shea Faison fumbles after picking up the first down yardage.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Rinzel has already been hit up by some of the other prospects for his perspective on rookie camp, on the climb to the NHL and the developmental process, on how to play with aggression and the confidence to make plays rather than with hesitation and the fear of making mistakes.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
If the Wildcats cut back on their mistakes.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Water tumbles from cliffs like silk ribbons with Staubbach Falls drifting beside charming chalets trimmed in geraniums.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
In the Bahe River in central China, the slow-flowing water tumbles over stones and zigzags between towering hills.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Several videos begin with Taddese’s friend, who wore a white shirt and gray pants, pushing a persondown as that individual trips him.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In Bora Bora, trips with Bora Diving Center (by Eleuthera) are another good bet for seeing mantas and schooling eagle rays within the famous lagoon.—
Terry Ward,
AFAR Media,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
During interviews for an in-depth Fortune story on KDP published in June, Cofer detailed his strategy for expanding margins and achieving high growth in soft drinks, a field that overall just trudges forward.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumbles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbles. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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