stumbled; stumbling
ˈstəm-b(ə-)liŋ 
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
Synonyms
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
Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025
It's been nearly two weeks since Billy Ray Cyrus stumbled onstage during a performance at President Donald Trump's inauguration celebration.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
Nathan Furr, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
There were stumbles, as in late 2023 when a Hezbollah technician got suspicious about the batteries in the walkie-talkies.
—Mark Mazzetti, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble 
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Verb
Then came an unexpected loss to West Virginia in the Bahamas and a few high-profile December stumbles.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025
It's been nearly two weeks since Billy Ray Cyrus stumbled onstage during a performance at President Donald Trump's inauguration celebration.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
Noun
But what makes our own effort worthy of admiration is not the perfection of the first try, but the effort of pushing into uncomfortable territory, and by trying over and over again, despite the stumble and failure!
—Nathan Furr, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
There were stumbles, as in late 2023 when a Hezbollah technician got suspicious about the batteries in the walkie-talkies.
—Mark Mazzetti, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stumble
Dictionary Entries Near stumble
Cite this Entry
“Stumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumble. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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