stumble
stumble Lexical Profile
stumble Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To trip or momentarily lose one's balance while walking or running; to walk unsteadily.
"The hiker began to stumble over the exposed tree roots as twilight deepened in the forest."
To make a mistake, hesitate, or falter repeatedly when speaking, reading, or performing.
"Even seasoned actors occasionally stumble over complex Shakespearean verse during early rehearsals."
To encounter or discover something unexpectedly or by chance (usually followed by 'across', 'on', or 'upon').
"While organizing the attic, she happened to stumble across a bundle of letters from the nineteenth century."
• noun
An act of tripping or momentarily losing one's balance while walking or running.
"A sudden stumble on the uneven cobblestone nearly caused him to drop the groceries."
A temporary setback, blunder, or error in an endeavor, performance, or speech.
"After an early stumble in the first quarter, the company recovered and posted record annual profits."
• Rhymes for stumble
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originated in Middle English as stumblen, likely borrowed from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse stumra ('to trip' or 'to falter') and related to the Germanic root of 'stammer'.