stumble across/on/onto/upon
idiom
: to find or learn about (something) unexpectedly
I stumbled across/on/upon this book by chance.
We stumbled onto/across the ruins of an old fort.
They stumbled on/upon a bizarre plot.
He stumbled onto the truth.
Examples of stumble across/on/onto/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s no sprawling signage or sweeping entrance gates, but once inside, travelers stumble upon paradise.
—
Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Catalytic converter thieves have terrorized Californians for years, with some encounters turning violent when car owners stumble upon the thieves in action.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2025
If the mercy killing wasn’t a big enough of a twist, the introduction of three outsiders who stumble upon the girls’ cannibalistic feast will do it.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
And Hulu’s stumble on Sunday was not the first among similar endeavors from today’s biggest streaming platforms.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble across/on/onto/upon
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.
Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Catalytic converter thieves have terrorized Californians for years, with some encounters turning violent when car owners stumble upon the thieves in action.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2025
If the mercy killing wasn’t a big enough of a twist, the introduction of three outsiders who stumble upon the girls’ cannibalistic feast will do it.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
And Hulu’s stumble on Sunday was not the first among similar endeavors from today’s biggest streaming platforms.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble across/on/onto/upon
Cite this Entry
“Stumble across/on/onto/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble%20across%2Fon%2Fonto%2Fupon. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share