STUMBLING (UPON) Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

stumbling (upon)

verb

present participle of stumble (upon)

as in encountering

to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face stumbled upon an old acquaintance at the airport

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling (upon)

Verb

Some brands had already weathered payment problems leading up to Neiman Marcus’s 2020 bankruptcy before encountering Saks Global’s more recent troubles.

— Rachel Felder, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026
Sometimes, encountering darkness in fiction or in a history or in another’s life becomes an unexpected opportunity for release, for catharsis, for focusing one’s energy elsewhere.

— Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of encountering

Verb

Her knowledge of the scene here is truly phenomenal, and her passion for eating out, her home city, and meeting new people is fantastically infectious.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Advertisement One person described meeting a woman on a train and spending an amazing train ride together.

— Vanessa Bohns, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of meeting

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stumbling (on or onto)

stumbling (upon)

stump

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“Stumbling (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20%28upon%29. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stumbling (upon)

verb

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