1
as in to fall
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 to struggle
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 to shuffle
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 to fumble
to make a mistake
that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in mistake
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
as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance
stumbled on some old family photos when she was cleaning out a drawer
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
stumbled upon an old acquaintance at the airport
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in muttering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in falling
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in struggling
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 shuffling
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 fumbling
to make a mistake
that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stumble
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
The price of bitcoin briefly stumbled to a 21-month low on Thursday, hitting an intraday low of $58,131, and the world’s leading cryptocurrency has shed more than half of its value since peaking above $126,000 in October 2025.
—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Omar Kardoudi
june 21,
New Atlas,
21 June 2026
Despite the tough start for her home team, Sam noted that Australia's early stumble shouldn't overshadow the massive growth of soccer in the United States.
—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
ABC News,
17 June 2026
But stumbling into a town with a visual landscape that still shows Guedes' thumbprint was a delight.
—
Matt Ozug,
NPR,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
The conversation stumbles on for a few moments, but Crook can’t find the words.
—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
The price of bitcoin briefly stumbled to a 21-month low on Thursday, hitting an intraday low of $58,131, and the world’s leading cryptocurrency has shed more than half of its value since peaking above $126,000 in October 2025.
—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Noun
But the history of VTOL aircraft is littered with costly stumbles.
—
Omar Kardoudi
june 21,
New Atlas,
21 June 2026
Despite the tough start for her home team, Sam noted that Australia's early stumble shouldn't overshadow the massive growth of soccer in the United States.
—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Verb
Gane finished off Pereira in the second round to win the title on Sunday after sending him stumbling with a right jab followed by a hammer fist.
—
ABC News,
17 June 2026
But stumbling into a town with a visual landscape that still shows Guedes' thumbprint was a delight.
—
Matt Ozug,
NPR,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
-
The woman fell about 1,500 vertical feet, from around 12,000 feet to about 11,500 feet.
-
The report will also provide insight into whether American workers’ paychecks are falling further behind inflation.
Verb
-
Amid the mutiny in the House, Johnson canceled unrelated votes, struggling to get enough support to move the legislation.
-
The Pirates posted a six-run fifth inning against struggling starter Aaron Nola (3-5).
Verb
-
As soon as the game wrapped up, those guests shuffled out, and hours later were replaced by a rowdier group ordering shots at the bar, dancing to 2000s hits in front of the DJ booth and smoking vape pens on the outdoor patio.
-
Pretoria responded to the threat of violence in June 30 protests with millions of dollars shuffled inside the police budget, tactical units deployed, and soldiers on standby.
Verb
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But in her concentration, Porsha fumbled her words, which made the Faithfuls, who were desperate for a crumb of evidence so early in the game, suspicious of her sincerity.
-
With Yerry De los Santos also fumbling a bunt in the eighth, the Yanks tallied a season-high four errors on the night.
Noun
-
That ended his day after five innings of one-run ball, with just one mistake — a slider that Manny Machado clobbered for a solo homer — against him.
-
Will this turn into a tragic mistake Daemon soon regrets?
Noun
-
McKinnon was a billionaire in 2021 and 2022 thanks to a surge in software stocks during the time, but saw his fortune tumble as part of a broad selloff that erased billions of dollars from technology valuations.
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This highly competent, obsessive duo tumbles into a self-destructive cat-and-mouse dynamic — but who’s the cat and who’s the mouse?
Verb
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The styles incorporate features typically found in work shoes, including nano toe, steel toe, waterproof, electrical hazard protection, slip resistant outsoles and quick draw laces.
-
Circle’s stock slipped 13% after the announcement and now trades at $66 per share.
Verb
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The name Chelydra serpentina evokes colossal reptiles stomping through ancient forests.
-
If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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