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
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 stumble
Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2025
Of course, Mattel has had its share of stumbles over the decades.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2025
Was That a 900 or 1080 on the Halfpipe? X Games Can Now Ask A.I.
Image
During her first two years, Ms. Harris had a number of stumbles.
—Erica L. Green, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
The video ends after he is apparently shot and stumbles and collapses in the parking lot.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2025
Of course, Mattel has had its share of stumbles over the decades.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
But Sarmiento’s remarks weren’t without some reflection on the party’s stumbles.
—Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2025
Was That a 900 or 1080 on the Halfpipe? X Games Can Now Ask A.I.
Image
During her first two years, Ms. Harris had a number of stumbles.
—Erica L. Green, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
-
After this, oil production will fall, albeit slowly toward 2050, as decarbonization proceeds and more electric vehicles take to the roads.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Overall, bookings fell after the deadly Jan. 29 D.C. crash, rebounded a bit, and then fell again after the Feb. 17 crash in Toronto, in which a regional jet crashed upon landing, overturned and caught fire.—
Sam Sweeney,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Still, with fewer employees, the department may struggle to meet the demands of a growing number of applicants.—
Scott White,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
-
England have struggled at the latter position in recent years, and with Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall out injured until next season, Spence could be Tuchel’s best option there already.—
Oliver Kay,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
But experts encourage borrowers to take at least one step to protect themselves while personnel and programs at ED get shuffled around or canceled: keep a record.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2025
-
In addition, the person said the department is expected to shuffle around senior career officials who are part of the Senior Executive Service.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Stash everything in your carry-on instead of fumbling at the checkpoint.—
Boutayna Chokrane,
WIRED,
18 Mar. 2025
-
The new electrically released adhesive makes removing the battery easier because it can be done with a jolt of electricity rather than fumbling with sticky strips, which can snap before the battery is released.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
A number of Republican and Libertarian figures have since voiced support for Massie on social media, suggesting Trump is making a mistake by attacking the Kentucky lawmaker.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Tip #4: Double-check your figures Making a simple math mistake or switching the last two digits of your Social Security Number can cause big problems for the IRS.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
American stocks take a major tumble The American stock market had its worst day of the year on Monday, when the tech-heavy Nasdaq and broad S&P 500 posted their biggest one-day drop since September 2022.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA TODAY,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Twelve of the world's 20 wealthiest individuals have seen their net worth tumble this year, with many posting declines in the tens of billions of dollars, according to Bloomberg.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
His ostensibly innocuous shot from well above the left circle clipped Dostál and then slipped through him to open the scoring.—
Andrew Knoll,
Orange County Register,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Traction was excellent, and rolling on a bit of throttle in some corners allowed for some wheel slip from the powerful hub motor.—
William Roberson,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Don’t be surprised if a herd of wild horses stomps their way through your campsite.—
Wendy Altschuler,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
-
But to have her kind of stomping through the hallways again?—
Josh Wigler,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share