TUMBLING Synonyms: 165 Similar and Opposite Words

tumbling

verb

Definition of tumbling

present participle of tumble

as in falling

to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily the infant stood for a moment and then tumbled on the carpet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in plunging

to go to a lower level especially abruptly stock prices tumbled after the earnings report was released

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as in disrupting

to undo the proper order or arrangement of tumbled all the clothes in her closet as she furiously searched for her favorite pair of jeans

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as in collapsing

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure all we need is one strong wind, and that old barn is going to tumble

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of tumbling But many homeowners locked in low mortgage rates when COVID-19 slammed the economy and sent borrowing costs tumbling; so they are protected if mortgage rates rise in the wake of a Fed raTte hike. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 By the end of the 1978-79 season, Charlie’s Angels had dropped out of the top 10, tumbling from fourth to 12th. — Michael Callahan, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 But the stock has underperformed the group, with shares tumbling this year even as peers reach new records. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 There was a sense that only significant deals could stave off the double threat of the Austrian’s outbursts over transfers destabilising the team midway through the campaign and Palace tumbling into a relegation battle. — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Ring Leaper was also able to clear a pair of tiny hurdles, even after slightly tumbling over the first one. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026 Their cheap convenience and ubiquity in restaurant service is a big reason any person with a food or food-adjacent job (including just about everybody who works at this magazine) has a collection of these tumbling around in their cabinets. — Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 The spacecraft started tumbling uncontrolled after launch, forcing NASA to abandon the mission. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 26 Aug. 2026 The camera panned to team members, in their signature red and white, tumbling through the audience and onto the stage. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumbling

Verb

David, not unlike Jerry, was afraid of falling and white-knuckled his way through.

— Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
After, tuck yourself into a hammock and gaze up at the stars; you wouldn’t be blamed for falling right asleep.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of falling

Verb

Zendaya chose a glittering Prada gown bedecked in shimmering crystals with a plunging tulle neckline, along with Mikimoto jewelry, including lavish pearl-and-diamond earrings and two rings from the Petals collection.

— Meg Walters, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026
ThredUp shares are down more than 60% over the same period, plunging after investors were disappointed with its revenue outlook announced last month.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of plunging

Verb

Organizations must determine which systems are affected, understand the business consequences of remediation, and test and deploy fixes without disrupting critical operations.

— Shane Buckley, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The researchers learned that parents were concerned by low-flying helicopter noise disrupting their children’s sleep and affecting their brain health.

— Caroline Montojo, STAT, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of disrupting

Verb

Portland took an early lead, but the Pride showed fight and kept it close before collapsing in the last 20 minutes.

— Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
This halts the nuclear fusion process — which involves converting that hydrogen to helium — leading to the stars collapsing and shedding their outer layers to become a white dwarf with around the mass of the sun crammed into the width of Earth.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of collapsing

Verb

Ian informs the sisters that Kylie isn’t merely stumbling into arcane rituals; someone is drawing her to the dark side.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026
Unlike other festivals, where audiences can be more forgiving, stumbling out of the gate at Venice can prove impossible for a contender to recover from.

— Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of stumbling

Verb

The filmmaker has likened his perspective in this project to that of Dorothy’s dog Toto in The Wizard of Oz, alert to the shuffling feet beneath the curtain rather than being bamboozled by the shyster title character’s techno showmanship.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Not much else changed in Class 5A, besides Azle and Arlington Seguin shuffling down two spots with Week 2 losses.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of shuffling

Verb

Euphoric players cavorting in disbelief, long-suffering fans crumpling to their knees in tears, commentators’ voices cracking at the drama of it all.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as the Golden State Warriors beat Dallas 137-131 on Monday night, extending the Mavericks' home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years.

— CBS News, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026