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
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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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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?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stumble
Becky Sullivan, NPR, 20 Oct. 2025
Angeletti first stumbled upon what would become the Curiosity Jewelers storefront by chance.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025
But this stumble feels different.
—Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
By contrast, the 93-69 Dodgers stumbled at times during the regular season, including several late-game collapses by a shaky bullpen and a humbling September sweep by the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 20 Oct. 2025
Angeletti first stumbled upon what would become the Curiosity Jewelers storefront by chance.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
Because disruption doesn’t wait, when a brand giant stumbles, challengers such as fast-growing On and Hoka are the ones capturing the revenue that is left behind.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025
But this stumble feels different.
—Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
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Grandma's fall inspires middle schooler's invention Kevin said his grandmother, who lives with his family, fell at home about five years ago.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
26 Oct. 2025
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The Phillies clearly have work to do this offseason after falling short in the NLCS, but restoring the relationship with Harper and emphasizing how false the rumors are needs to be a top priority.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In my experience, this is especially true in the lonely hours of the night while struggling with chronic pain.—
Joni Eareckson Tada,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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After an effort to create a Falls of the Ohio national park fell short in 1967, Kentucky and Indiana officials struggled to stop the falls from becoming a garbage dump.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The technology included corrupt automatic shuffling machines that read cards and predicted which player had the best hand.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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And after Paulsen’s five seasons in Washington, several of those Shanahan-tree coaches indeed shuffled Paulsen from building to building, staff to staff.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He was sacked seven times and fumbled twice with both loose balls being recovered by the Bills’ defense.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Oct. 2025
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But that same quarter, Kansas fumbled on a punt that K-State turned into a touchdown.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Let the rookie learn on the fly, make mistakes, and grow.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
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Get your fruit trees off to a strong start by avoiding these common planting mistakes.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Giving the rough-and-tumble, defensively charged Rockets one of the greatest scorers of all time is going to be incredibly fun to watch.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
21 Oct. 2025
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If garment exports tumble by the International Finance Corporation’s projected $220 million, Obeyesekere said, the jobs of as many as 16,000 people could be put at risk, particularly when coupled with cascading effects from a global slowdown.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Women’s Power Stride Tab Socks 3-pack Designed with training in mind, this three-pack of no-show socks boasts an interior grip that keeps them from slipping during use.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
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Messi picked up the ball from his compatriot Rodrigo De Paul in midfield and burst toward the backpedaling Nashville back line before slipping the ball outside to Luis Suárez.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ghost City Tours said Ryman's spirit would stomp around the room so loudly that spectators would be forced to leave.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
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The sound of her stomping up the staircase causes her parents to share a look of weary consternation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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