Definition of stumble - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
movementtrip or momentarily lose one's balance
- He stumbled on the uneven pavement..
2.
unsteady walkingwalk in an awkward unsteady or unsure way
- She stumbled through the dark room.
3.
chance encountercome across by accident
- I stumbled upon an old friend at the market.
4.
errors in speechmake mistakes or hesitate in speech or actions
- He stumbled over his words during the presentation.
Noun
1.
physical misstepfall or trip while walking
- He had a stumble on the uneven path.
2.
movementunsteady or clumsy walk
- His stumble made everyone laugh.
3.
mistakeerror or mistake in action
- Her stumble during the presentation was noticeable.
Expressions with stumble
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move in an unsteady or clumsy way without clear direction
He would stumble around in the dark looking for his keys.
hit something with your foot and almost fall
He stumbled over a rock on the path.
find something unexpectedly by chance
I stumbled across an old photo album in the attic.
find or discover unexpectedly
While cleaning, she stumbled on her old high school yearbook..
move clumsily or with difficulty
He stumbled through the dark room, bumping into furniture.
face a difficulty in a task or project
She stumbled at a hurdle in her research project.
move clumsily without clear direction
He stumbled in the dark, trying to find the light switch.
become involved in something unexpectedly
She stumbled into a new career after college.
discover the truth by accident
While researching, she stumbled on the truth about her family's history.
find something by accident without looking for it
I stumbled upon an old diary in the attic.
make mistakes while speaking
She stumbled over her words during the presentation.
meet someone unexpectedly
I stumbled across her path at the grocery store.
Origin of stumble
Middle English, stumblen (stagger) + -le (frequentative)
Terms with stumble included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
physical
become unsteady and fall or stumble
movement
stumble or fall by hitting something with the foot
movement
trip and stumble while walking or running
physical
stumble or slip while walking or standing
movement
fall or stumble while moving downwards
physical stumble
stumble due to hitting an obstacle
physical stumble
stumble or fall because your own feet get in the way
practical joke
cause someone to stumble or fall
physical stumble
fail completely or collapse
metaphorical stumble
encounter difficulties or make mistakes
movement
stumble while walking even though nothing blocks the path
sports
cause someone to stumble or fall with a quick move
physical movement
physical stumble or misstep
cause stumble
cause someone to stumble by obstructing their path
clumsy step
fall or stumble while walking
movement
trip or stumble caused by another person
accident
accidental fall or stumble
tripping
causing one to stumble or trip
Examples of stumble in a sentence
He stumbled over his words during the speech. He stumbled over the uneven pavement. The toddler stumbled as she learned to walk. She stumbled upon a hidden gem in the library. We stumbled upon a quaint café while wandering. She tends to stumble when speaking in public.
During the debate, he began to stumble, losing his train of thought. A stumble near the curb made her drop the groceries. The runner recovered quickly from his stumble. After a stumble, she quickly regained her balance. The stumble on the uneven path was unexpected. His stumble in the debate cost him votes. The stumble in the report led to confusion.
View all translations of stumble
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:trébucher, faux pas, ...
- German:stolpern, Stolpern, ...
- Italian:barcollare, inciampo, ...
- Spanish:trastabillar, tropiezo, ...
- Portuguese:cambalear, tropeção, ...
- Chinese:绊倒, 绊跤, ...
- Japanese:つまずく, つまずき, ...
- Arabic:تَعَثَّرَ, تَعَثُّر, ...
- Hebrew:לִמְעוֹד, מְעִידָה, ...
- Russian:споткнуться, спотыкание, ...
- Ukrainian:спіткнутися, спотикання, ...
- Hindi:ठोकर खाना, ठोकर, ...
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