Stumble Upon

Pronunciation: /ˈstʌmbəl əˈpɒn/

Definitions of stumble upon

verb to find or encounter something unexpectedly or by chance

Example Sentences

A1 I stumbled upon a hidden treasure while walking in the forest.

A2 She stumbled upon an old photo album in the attic.

B1 During my research, I stumbled upon an interesting article that helped me understand the topic better.

B2 While browsing the internet, I stumbled upon a website that offers free online courses.

C1 The detective stumbled upon a clue that led to the breakthrough in the case.

C2 As a seasoned traveler, I often stumble upon hidden gems in remote locations.

Examples of stumble upon in a Sentence

formal During my research, I happened to stumble upon a rare manuscript in the library archives.

informal I was just browsing the internet and stumbled upon this cool new website.

slang I was walking through the park and totally stumbled upon this hidden gem of a coffee shop.

figurative Sometimes in life, we stumble upon unexpected opportunities that can change our path.

Grammatical Forms of stumble upon

• past tense: stumbled upon
• plural: stumble upon
• comparative: more stumbled upon
• superlative: most stumbled upon
• present tense: stumbles upon
• future tense: will stumble upon
• perfect tense: have stumbled upon
• continuous tense: is stumbling upon
• singular: stumble upon
• positive degree: stumble upon
• infinitive: to stumble upon
• gerund: stumbling upon
• participle: stumbled upon

Origin and Evolution of stumble upon

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The phrase 'stumble upon' originated from the Old English word 'stumelian' which meant to trip or stagger.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'stumble upon' evolved to mean discovering something unexpectedly or by chance, reflecting a more positive connotation compared to its original meaning of tripping or staggering.