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
Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
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.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 29 Apr. 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
Margo stumbles upon a sexy-silly duo with the stage names Succulent Rose and Wang Mangler.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
Based on a true story, Erin Brockovich follows the titular law firm worker who stumbles upon records involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company's culpability in a contamination incident.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
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
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
Verb
As Laugier’s story continues, the man wanders through a forest, stumbles upon fallen branches, and has an epiphany.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
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.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 29 Apr. 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
Margo stumbles upon a sexy-silly duo with the stage names Succulent Rose and Wang Mangler.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
Based on a true story, Erin Brockovich follows the titular law firm worker who stumbles upon records involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company's culpability in a contamination incident.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbles
Verb
-
On both sides of the street, the sidewalk rises and falls, uprooted and cracked by shallow roots because over many decades, the trees were not properly maintained.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
The youngest Issa falls somewhere in between her sisters’ styles.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Green struggles to score 16 points in an empty gym.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
-
The departures of certain Kaiser Permanente offices and a string of prominent restaurant and bar closures have come to symbolize the city’s struggles to retain employers and attract new ones.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
7 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
-
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
-
Find the groups without making four mistakes.—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Lahren opened the discussion by contrasting today’s climate with the past, noting that traditional PR cleanup has been replaced by a mass horde looking to end lives over minor mistakes.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 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
-
And, there's such a thing as guys trips only.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Plus, the amount of walking that Japan trips require is no joke.—
Elaina Verhoff,
Travel + Leisure,
9 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 11 May. 2026.
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