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.
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Recent Examples of stumble
Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: Robot couriers may stumble today, but over a longer horizon, their spread feels inevitable.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2025
Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Energy Guardian scored a dramatic knockdown in the first round, and despite a late stumble from Armored Mulan, Energy Guardian secured the win.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
Rather than that 30-start mark serving as a jumping off point for each pitcher to take the next step in their careers, each has stumbled in their own way this year.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: Robot couriers may stumble today, but over a longer horizon, their spread feels inevitable.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2025
Noun
Love, after all, has always been as much about the journey as the destination — and that journey's value lies in walking it together, with all the stumbles and discoveries along the way.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Energy Guardian scored a dramatic knockdown in the first round, and despite a late stumble from Armored Mulan, Energy Guardian secured the win.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
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Starbucks' same-store sales in China were flat in the first quarter this year after falling for four consecutive quarters .—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
9 July 2025
-
Notre Dame, with an offensive line that included three top-10 picks, roared back, falling 24-22 when its two-point conversion got stuffed with seven seconds remaining.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Make Healthy Food More Accessible Millions of families struggle to afford healthy food.—
Mike Levin,
Oc Register,
10 July 2025
-
Many prominent energy and hardware startups have faltered at this critical juncture, struggling to transition from promising prototypes to reliable performance in real-world settings at scale.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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All week, campers were shuffled from one activity to the next, mixing games, prayers and church services with lectures that coincide with lessons from the Bible.—
Paul Bersebach,
Oc Register,
12 July 2025
-
Guevara, 47, has been shuffled through three detention sites despite Immigration Judge James Ward’s decision to grant him bond on July 1, according to The Associated Press.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
But then Superman lost flight and Warners fumbled the lucrative Reeve franchise greatly.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
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Ferguson couldn't find the end zone once, and even fumbled the ball four times, after preventing fumbles entirely during his first two seasons in the league.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Investors who do not use the tool risk making major mistakes.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
-
Read on for some of the most common nutrition mistakes sports dietitians see that wreak havoc on people’s workouts—plus what to do instead.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Post Malone took an unexpected tumble off the stage during a recent stop on his The Big Ass Stadium Tour — but didn’t miss a beat.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
2 July 2025
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This salad is a tumble of arugula and farro, studded with figs.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Without nuclear energy to provide the stable, always-on foundation for clean energy, those goals are slipping further from reach.—
Micky Horstman,
Chicago Tribune,
7 July 2025
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After Wilson slipped the ring onto her finer, Kelly quickly embraced her new fiancé as their family and friends cheered.—
Sara Vallone Mod Moms Club
July 6,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2025
Verb
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Eighteen months ago, playing those songs inspired fans at the Ryman Auditorium to stomp their feet, throw Resistol hats in the air and soak church pews in alcohol for two hours.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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Complaining on NextDoor about traffic, some locals fled downtown Austin like a movie monster was stomping behind them.—
Ramon Ramirez,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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