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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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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stumble
Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Moments later, bodycam video shows Hairston suddenly bolting from deputies, stumbling into the road and engaging in a struggle with deputies.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Each stumble forced Huang’s team to rethink, redesign, and innovate at a pace that steady success never would have demanded.
—Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumble
Verb
Both the lawsuit and police then claim that Brianna lost her phone and stumbled into the woods nearby.
—Noun
Despite a stumble in their most recent European outing, their domestic form has been strong, and their attackers, including Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, bring sharp finishing and creative threat.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumble
Verb
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The 1971 Vikings were the other team, and Minnesota wound up falling at home to Dallas in its initial playoff contest.—
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In witness footage shared by the police, the paraglider is seen falling from the sky with a faulty parachute and spiraling quickly towards the waters below, before smashing into the ocean in front of horrified beachgoers.—
Verb
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His strength on defense was particularly impressive for a freshman, as TCU big men Xavier Edmonds and David Punch struggled to create good looks inside the lane thanks in large part to the defense of Peat.—
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Players throughout the Heat’s rotation struggled to make shots.—
Verb
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The unit was constantly shuffled this season, and the Trojans deployed six different offensive line combinations while still managing to have one of the most efficient offenses in the Big Ten Conference under position coach Zach Hanson.—
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Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Verb
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Beauty products have taken over my sink, leaving me fumbling for my go-to face washes and serums every morning and night.—
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The Steelers failed to capitalize on the miscues from a jittery Stroud, who fumbled twice and threw a pick deep in Pittsburgh territory.—
Noun
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One of the biggest mistakes people make with space heaters is using an extension cord.—
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Jake returns to 2011 with the intention of going back to 1960 and doing it all over again, this time without making the mistakes that led to Sadie's death.—
Noun
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Our days are spent cross-country and downhill skiing, dogsledding, snowshoeing, and gazing at waterfalls frozen mid-tumble.—
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Cheng Xin | Getty Images After an all-time high and a big tumble for bitcoin last year, industry executives and investors told CNBC that the cryptocurrency could reach new heights in 2026 — but with the potential for huge volatility.—
Verb
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This is the perfect time of year to slip into an ultra-soft flannel set or select a set that exudes hotel luxury.—
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This is designed more like a wallet, with a pouch to slip your passport in as well as external pockets to stash a few essential cards and bills.—
Verb
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Jenkins brutally stomped and punched Coto, who was severely injured and put on life support.—
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Take it slower and stomp a path through new snow or ski on a frozen pond.—
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumble. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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