Stumble

/ˈstʌmbəl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

An act or instance of stumbling.

His stumble during the race cost him valuable time.

verb

To trip or lose one's balance; to walk awkwardly or unsteadily.

She stumbled on the uneven pavement and nearly fell.

To make a mistake or blunder, especially while speaking or performing.

He stumbled over his words during the presentation.

To encounter or discover something by chance.

I stumbled upon an interesting book in the library.

Middle English 'stomblen', from Old English 'stymelian', akin to 'stomp'.

stumble upon

To find or discover something by accident.

stumble across

To come upon something unexpectedly or by chance.

stumble through

To do something without preparation or skill.

trip

To knock against something and fall or lose balance.

fumble

To handle something clumsily or awkwardly.

fall

To move downward, typically rapidly and freely without control.

To fail at a task or activity.

He totally stumbled on that test.

To make a poor decision or judgment.

Stumbling big time on that deal.