English-English Dictionary

Meaning of the word stumble in English

What does stumble mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

stumble

US /ˈstʌm.bəl/
UK /ˈstʌm.bəl/
"stumble" picture

Verb

1.

trip or momentarily lose one's balance; almost fall

Example:
•
He began to stumble as he walked through the uneven terrain.
•
She stumbled on a loose rock and nearly fell.
Synonym:
tripfaltertotterlurchstagger
2.

make a mistake or repeated mistakes in speaking or understanding

Example:
•
He tends to stumble over his words when he's nervous.
•
The speaker would often stumble during his long speech.
Synonym:
falterhesitatestammerstutter
3.

find or discover (something) by chance

Example:
•
They stumbled upon an old, abandoned cabin in the woods.
•
I stumbled across an interesting article online.
Synonym:
discoverfindencounterhappen uponcome across

Noun

1.

an act of stumbling

Example:
•
He recovered from a slight stumble on the uneven path.
•
The sudden stumble caused her to drop her books.
Synonym:
tripfalterslipmisstep
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Related Word:
stumble on