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
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
as in muttering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stumbling
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
Bumble stumbles As younger users abandon online dating apps, companies like Bumble are being forced to lay off hundreds of workers and put a stronger emphasis on AI to find compatible matches.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 26 June 2025
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 10 June 2025
But that stumble constitutes Hwang’s only confrontation with the hypocrisy that ruins Yellow Face and its inherent PBS conceit.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumbling
Noun
Previous attempts to improve the efficiency of cross-border payments for intra-Africa trade have stumbled due to the absence of political will, said Kenneth Ugwuanyi, head of transaction banking at the United Bank for Africa Group which operates in 20 African countries.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
Bumble stumbles As younger users abandon online dating apps, companies like Bumble are being forced to lay off hundreds of workers and put a stronger emphasis on AI to find compatible matches.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 26 June 2025
Verb
Ford started his speech by quipping about his recent stumble down the steps of Air Force One during a visit to Salzburg, Austria.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 10 June 2025
But that stumble constitutes Hwang’s only confrontation with the hypocrisy that ruins Yellow Face and its inherent PBS conceit.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling
Noun
-
Here are the five hidden profile mistakes that stop your ideal clients getting in touch.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Jumping onto Andrew Cuomo’s leaky ship was a devastating mistake for the pro-Israel movement.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
The changes came rapidly when Israel began an offensive against Hezbollah last fall, beginning with exploding pagers that killed or wounded many group members simultaneously.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
28 June 2025
-
The problem is that last fall, for the third time since 2004, 60 Minutes attempted to fix the presidential election for the Democrats.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
Even with good intentions, these salon blunders are better avoided, according to experts.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
19 June 2025
-
Other big moments in Trump’s presidency include the leak of U.S. military attack plans to Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, what was widely considered to be the first major blunder of his second term.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
The coating also isn’t chip-resistant so a tumble might cause a scuff or two.—
Cheryl Fenton,
Parents,
19 June 2025
-
The aftermath of Virginia’s clumsy tumble into a rose bed where her exposed cleavage is profusely pricked by thorns lasts for all of one scene.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
With very little margin for error, any misstep could lead to a steep correction.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Making on-time payments, keeping your debt-to-income ratio low and checking your credit report for errors can all help boost your credit score and lower your rates.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Advocates are particularly concerned about potential spills of aviation fuel and raw sewage into the pristine Everglades waterways.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2025
-
For sticky spills: If a sticky spill has hardened and adhered to the suitcase lining, use the edge of a spoon or a butter knife to gently lift the substance up and away.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
One time as a junior, Turk tackled the running back and the quarterback and forced a fumble in the same play.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2025
-
Ferguson couldn't find the end zone once, and even fumbled the ball four times, after preventing fumbles entirely during his first two seasons in the league.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
The Minimalist Ballerina With a Simple, Strappy Maxi For the ultimate minimalist, this black structured slip and white ballet flat pairing is excessively sleek.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
27 June 2025
-
Front zip and back slip pockets plus a mesh zip interior provide ample room for necessities.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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