stumble

1 of 2

verb

stum·​ble ˈstəm-bəl How to pronounce stumble (audio)
stumbled; stumbling ˈstəm-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce stumble (audio)
Synonyms of stumble

intransitive verb

1
a
: to fall into sin or waywardness
b
: to make an error : blunder
c
: to come to an obstacle to belief
2
: to trip in walking or running
3
a
: to walk unsteadily or clumsily
b
: to speak or act in a hesitant or faltering manner
4
a
: to come unexpectedly or by chance
stumble onto the truth
b
: to fall or move carelessly

transitive verb

1
: to cause to stumble : trip
2
: bewilder, confound
stumbler
ˈstəm-b(ə-)lər How to pronounce stumble (audio)
noun
stumblingly
ˈstəm-b(ə-)liŋ-lē How to pronounce stumble (audio)
adverb

stumble

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of stumbling

Synonyms of stumble

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of stumble in a Sentence

Verb I stumbled on the uneven pavement. The horse stumbled and almost fell. He stumbled drunkenly across the room. He stumbled over to the table. I heard him stumble over the unfamiliar words. She stumbled through an apology. The economy has stumbled in recent months. Noun was his hurtful remark a regrettable stumble, or was it made with artful intention? has bones so brittle that a minor stumble could result in a serious break
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
But most of the attempts to scale sodium-ion cells stumbled over short lifespans and poor heat tolerance. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026 In her attempt to get away, the woman stumbled and injured her leg, screaming for help the whole time, police said. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
Compounding those stumbles have been frequent defensive breakdowns. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 While the last-minute transaction helped the fund recover, the initial stumble led to a dwindling of assets. — Katherine Doherty, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stumble

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect stumle to stumble

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stumble was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing stumble

Rhymes for stumble

See All Rhymes for stumble

Browse Nearby Words

stum
stumble
stumble across/on/onto/upon
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

stumble

verb
stum·​ble
ˈstəm-bəl
stumbled; stumbling
-b(ə-)liŋ
1
: to trip in walking or running
2
a
: to walk unsteadily
b
: to speak or act in a hesitant or clumsy manner
3
: to come or happen unexpectedly or by chance
stumbled onto the ruins of an old fort
stumble noun
stumbler
-b(ə-)lər
noun
stumblingly
-b(ə-)liŋ-lē
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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