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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to struggle
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"
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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
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4
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
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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?
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of stumble
Joel Mathis, theweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Avoiding expensive areas While some young Americans, like Craig, stumble on opportunities or get lucky otherwise, others have simply set their sights on something other than ownership.
—Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Brian Slodysko, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
Recovering in the hospital after a distracted stumble into traffic, Garfield’s Tobias meets the apologetic woman who struck him with her vehicle: Almut (Florence Pugh), a talented and fiercely ambitious chef.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble 
Verb
By Joel Mathis, The Week US published 9 December 2024
Nearly three years after the invasion of Ukraine, Russia's economy is stumbling.
—Joel Mathis, theweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Avoiding expensive areas While some young Americans, like Craig, stumble on opportunities or get lucky otherwise, others have simply set their sights on something other than ownership.
—Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
Once a pivotal battleground, Florida’s political DNA has been altered by organizational stumbles by Democrats along with demographic shifts.
—Brian Slodysko, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
Recovering in the hospital after a distracted stumble into traffic, Garfield’s Tobias meets the apologetic woman who struck him with her vehicle: Almut (Florence Pugh), a talented and fiercely ambitious chef.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
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The proposal comes as Nissan is urgently cutting costs, having fallen behind in the global EV race, while both companies are struggling in the bruising Chinese automotive market.Nathan Bomey, Axios, 23 Dec. 2024
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By Tuesday, an additional 1 to 3 inches of snow could fall across parts of the Upper Midwest and Northeast, with some higher elevations, including northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, seeing up to 12 inches.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Her services are rooted in an experiential understanding of the matter, having served as a high-flying attorney for over two decades and struggling with burnout herself.Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
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Down seven at the half, the Hawks outscored the Knicks 61-46 in the second half as the Knicks struggled offensively.Wayne Sterling, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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House Republicans on Thursday shuffled in and out of Speaker Mike Johnson's office as the clock ticked toward the shutdown deadline.Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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On the next spread, the characters are shuffled around, and you are asked to once again identify the row your character is in and follow the instructions to a specific page and figure.Megan Gambino, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Taylor started Indy’s unraveling by fumbling away a would-be 41-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that would’ve given Indianapolis a 20-7 lead.Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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That’s what Matt Stafford did after fumbling through the start of the game.Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The AfD’s election manifesto for the upcoming federal election calls partial cannabis legalization a mistake that must be reversed.Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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Up to now, that has looked like a mistake, particularly given Eze, who was with Olise in his box, has struggled for form and, at times, fitness this season.Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Its longevity is especially heartening in the streaming era, when many rap releases take massive tumbles the week after their equally massive debuts.Justin Curto, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2024
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The strikes represent a fresh headache for Europe’s largest automaker, which saw operating profit for the first nine months of the year tumble by a fifth, as its flagship brand struggled.Hanna Ziady, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Just slip this over the interior door’s peephole and rest assured knowing that no one can use a device to see in.Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2024
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Tokyo's Nikkei 225 slipped 0.3 percent to close at 38,701.90 on Friday following the release of November inflation data.Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Wildflowers are stomped to the ground during the celebration at an annual flower show where girls have been cultivated like flowers for generations.Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2024
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The pounding of Mary’s heartbeat becomes the stomping feet of the crowd at the high school.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near stumble
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
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