tumble (upon)

Definition of tumble (upon)next
as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance while we were out on a drive in the country, we tumbled upon a farm stand selling the best peaches I've ever tasted

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumble (upon)
Verb
  • After Judith’s husband Kobi found that issue of Life magazine in 1981, she and her brother were stunned to learn the extent of their father’s heroism.
    Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
  • The sheriff's office said possible human trafficking victims were identified and evidence of prostitution was found at Eva Massage on Cross Timbers Road and Sun Massage on Flower Mound Road.
    S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And yes, any one person who does it might not be encountered often, but the older person may encounter it multiple times (from different people) in the same week.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The department has encountered legal challenges to the firings.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Jokic secured his eligibility for the accolade by playing his 65th game on the last night of the regular season, narrowly meeting the NBA’s quota to appear on awards ballots.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Sam Nunberg, an early campaign aide, met Trump at a wrestling match.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Tumble (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumble%20%28upon%29. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.

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