1
as in falling
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in struggling
to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
stumbled twice while she was reciting the "Gettysburg Address"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
the tipsy revelers left the path and wearily stumbled through the tangled undergrowth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in fumbling
to make a mistake
that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in muttering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 stumbling
Nick Marx, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Inside the agency, Dudek, ill-prepared for leadership or for DOGE’s murky agenda, was stumbling through the chaos in part by creating some of his own.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
The conceit is inherently crowdpleasing — a man stumbling into strangers’ lives and finding unexpected connection — but Hikari steers it with earnestness, elevating it beyond sentimental comedy.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
His arrival home each night is announced by his sputtering motorcycle and his drunken stumbling up the stairs.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Whew The last thing a team wants to see is its starting quarterback stumbling to the sideline four plays into the season.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
The sighting comes just two months after Clinton was spotted stumbling on a New York City sidewalk outside the 92NY, a cultural center in the Big Apple.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The same Jackson Arnold who was benched last season at Oklahoma, which was stumbling through its worst season in three decades.
—Matt Hayes, The Tennessean, 30 Aug. 2025
The matches often devolve into the wrestlers stumbling around the ring, trying to find each other based on the sound of the crowd.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The episode ends with a surreal, graphic deepfake scene of a totally nude Donald Trump stumbling around a desert.
—Nick Marx, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Inside the agency, Dudek, ill-prepared for leadership or for DOGE’s murky agenda, was stumbling through the chaos in part by creating some of his own.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
The conceit is inherently crowdpleasing — a man stumbling into strangers’ lives and finding unexpected connection — but Hikari steers it with earnestness, elevating it beyond sentimental comedy.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
His arrival home each night is announced by his sputtering motorcycle and his drunken stumbling up the stairs.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Whew The last thing a team wants to see is its starting quarterback stumbling to the sideline four plays into the season.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
The sighting comes just two months after Clinton was spotted stumbling on a New York City sidewalk outside the 92NY, a cultural center in the Big Apple.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
The same Jackson Arnold who was benched last season at Oklahoma, which was stumbling through its worst season in three decades.
—Matt Hayes, The Tennessean, 30 Aug. 2025
The matches often devolve into the wrestlers stumbling around the ring, trying to find each other based on the sound of the crowd.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling
Verb
-
Crafted in Ireland, the coach features dark brown panels adorned with golden scrollwork and a gilded roof, offering shelter from the light rain falling over Berkshire.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
With the last night of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve falling on the same day this year – something that rarely happens – the reverend and rabbi choose to offer a joint service for their congregations.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, there is overall good news for renters across the country struggling with higher costs.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Like your obliques, your adductors provide stability and alignment that can make the difference between moving with ease and struggling with pain.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In it, a monster with bolts in his head and a shuffling gate was created by a man.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The closures have resulted in staff shuffling throughout the library system and rescheduled activities such as author talks and photography exhibits.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Then, after starting the second half by fumbling the ball away at the Rebels’ 17, the Cougars’ next two drives ended in two more Belinske-Strauss touchdown runs – the second of which came on a possession that started at the Champlin Park 1 after a high snap on a Rebels’ punt attempt.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Boise State played an uneven first half in Tampa, fumbling twice and committing a huge penalty that gave life to a South Florida touchdown drive.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But the truth is, the Rockies (41-109) are tripping toward the finish line.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
14 Sep. 2025
-
In my heavy-tripping state, the taste is glorious.—
R29 Team,
Refinery29,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Apple so far has only been able to introduce a few basic AI features on the iPhone while failing to deliver on last year’s promise to deliver a more conversational and versatile version of its often-blundering virtual assistant Siri.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Cena’s chrome-domed antihero, Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante and and Danielle Brooks’ Adebayo stomping through spots of light.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
21 Aug. 2025
-
No velvet rope, no fourth wall—just boot-stomping, beer-sign neon and crowd-absorption tech.—
Bob Bonniol,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
With the job market faltering and new tariffs adding uncertainty to the economy, futures markets are pricing in as many as two additional cuts — totaling 75 basis points — by the end of the year, according to the CME FedWatch tool, which tracks investor expectations for Fed policy.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Washington — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday lowered interest rates for the first time since December to support America’s faltering labor market.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share