as in encountered
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
stumbled upon an old acquaintance at the airport
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbled (upon)
Verb
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It is believed that a Dutch couple first encountered the virus while birdwatching near a landfill, where rodents likely were.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026 -
At that time, the two officers at the front door forced entry into the home and encountered an adult male covered in blood and armed with a knife.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
18 May 2026
Verb
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California’s race for governor hit a critical moment on May 14, as the state’s top candidates met for their final debatebefore the June primary.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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King County took a similar approach, building ongoing provider partnerships centered on measurable outcomes and tying contract renewal directly to whether those outcomes were met.—
Caroline Whistler,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stumbled (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbled%20%28upon%29. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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