stumble 1 of 2

verb

ˈstəm-bəl How to pronounce stumble (audio)
Definition of stumblenext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to fumble
to make a mistake that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air

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stumble

2 of 2

noun

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
2
as in fall
the act of going down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily has bones so brittle that a minor stumble could result in a serious break

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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
Verb
The Bay Area’s tech industry stumbled at the start of 2025 with a net loss of thousands of jobs, a new report states. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2025 But in true fashion, nothing is ever easy for the Hornets, and properly stumbling down the stretch will probably be a bit too much to ask. — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
And Hulu’s stumble on Sunday was not the first among similar endeavors from today’s biggest streaming platforms. — Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025 The interlaced sub-narratives of the show’s supporting characters — and their all-too-human stumbles — further illuminate the show’s sharp but nuanced take on the wellness industry, with all of its propensity to both overpromise and provide genuine care. — Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
  1. fall
  2. struggle
  3. shuffle
  4. fumble
  5. mistake
  6. tumble
  7. slip
  8. stomp
Verb
  • However, that fight fell apart in early March, when a hand injury forced Whyte from the card.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • After getting Douglas' son's blessing, Robertson proposed on Jan. 21 on the rooftop of a hotel in New York overlooking Central Park just as the snow was falling.
    — Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of fall
Verb
  • The Royals struggled to pick up his sweeper and slider combination.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Atlanta's lineup has struggled tremendously this season, and using Elder as a trade piece to bring in a big-time hitter would be pretty smart.
    — Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of struggle
Verb
  • Instead, tattooed servers shuffle around under dim lighting to a Phoebe Bridgers soundtrack.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Under moonlight, the six men shuffled to the village church.
    — Prianka Srinivasan Matthew Abbott, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • During the Mets’ loss to the Marlins, Vientos was jogging to first base when Miami’s Graham Pauley fumbled the ball.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The characters in Megan Howell’s short stories, which glide into scenes of magical realism, are lonely people facing the harsh realities of an often violent world and fumbling toward something more hopeful.
    — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of fumble
Noun
  • Before formally apologizing to her, Phillips tells Danny about how the stringent demands of Dr. Broussard, who visited Maguire in Episode 4, led him to nick a vessel during an outpatient procedure on a 20-year-old man named Julio, and Phillips’ parents then covered up his fatal mistake.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Nuggets Podcast: Russell Westbrook’s Minnesota mistake, the Western pecking order and a confidence game Jalen Pickett got advice from Chris Paul once.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of mistake
Noun
  • In one way, a 10-game winless tumble was a hostile environment in which to place a prospect.
    — Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Friday’s stock market tumble was about more than tariffs, though.
    — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of tumble
Verb
  • But are we really supposed to believe that wife-of-the-year Karen Wilson would let such an important date slip her mind?
    — Andy Swift, TVLine, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Apparently, his son Jabari fell from an A+ to an A in spelling, so Darnell is living up to his promise of beating Gregory’s ass if Jabari’s grades ever slipped.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of slip
Verb
  • The Kiki Platform Mary Jane Few shoes have stomped their way into the fashion lexicon quite as rapidly as Marc Jacobs’s Kiki platforms.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Witnesses on the flight told authorities Augustin was stomping, yelling, shaking and being incoherent, the document continued.
    — Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of stomp

Phrases Containing stumble

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stuffy
stumble
stumblebum
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Cite this Entry

“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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