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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Cliffs teeter at 1,640 feet, before tumbling down in a flurry of vineyards and walking trails to the rushing rivers and gorges of Sil and Miño. — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumbling

Verb

McGuire said the country’s murder rate is at a 126-year low and argued that falling fentanyl deaths and drug trafficking are evidence that the administration’s border and law enforcement policies are working.

— Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026
Applications jumped from roughly 3,500 a year before COVID to a record 18,561 in 2024, before falling nearly 30% last year and continuing to decline in 2026.

— Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of falling

Verb

Pilots have compared landing on the short runway, with either side plunging straight down off the side of a vertical cliff, to landing on an aircraft carrier.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
And this week, our story about the dwindling water levels in Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest reservoir, shows breathtaking expanses of dry canyon plunging to a shrinking, narrow ribbon of teal green.

— Stephanie Hanes, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of plunging

Verb

Over the past decade, cyberattacks against the education sector have risen expeditiously, exposing sensitive data, temporarily disrupting school operations and affecting students' learning.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Integration therefore becomes an important part of introducing upgrades without disrupting the wider mission setup.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of disrupting

Verb

The cost of creating plausible false identities is collapsing.

— Joao Gomes, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
The public must contend head-on with a collapsing currency and runaway inflation, and to ordinary Iranians, describing the present situation as sustainable would sound almost obscene.

— Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of collapsing

Verb

One of my favorite projects involved walking across the largest city in the Lower 48, only with the general framework of a plan, stumbling upon all kinds of interesting people, places and history.

— Mark Woods, Florida Times-Union, 20 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of stumbling

Verb

Voices, voices, voices, chirping, screeching, rising high to a crescendo, dipping low for a moment, then soaring straight up again.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Apply the vinegar by spraying it directly onto the surface or by dipping a microfiber cloth into the solution, wringing it out, and wiping the appliance.

— Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of dipping

Verb

At the end of all that immersiveness, exiting out onto the physical street to join the crowds of shuffling tourists and fend off sullen Elmos makes Times Square feel like the soul of authenticity.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026
An offseason filled with roster shuffling continued Tuesday for the Charlotte Hornets, who completed a three-player deal with Atlanta to land another guard with perimeter shooting potential.

— Staff reports, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of shuffling

Verb

But Mulderrig’s red Harley-Davidson Sportster slammed into the rear passenger side of Oates’ Cadillac, crumpling the back corner and twisting the wheel out of shape.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of crumpling

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumbling. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tumbling

verb

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