Pronunciation: /ˈstʌmbəl/

Definitions of stumble

noun A trip or fall while walking or running

Example Sentences

A1 I had a stumble while walking on the uneven pavement.

A2 She let out a little stumble as she tripped over the step.

B1 The stumble in his speech indicated that he was nervous.

B2 The stumble in the negotiations caused a delay in reaching an agreement.

C1 His stumble on the stock market led to significant financial losses.

C2 The stumble in her career didn't deter her from achieving success in the long run.

verb To trip or lose one's balance while walking or running

Example Sentences

A1 I stumbled over a rock while hiking.

A2 She stumbled upon an old bookstore while exploring the city.

B1 The new employee stumbled through their first presentation.

B2 He stumbled upon a solution to the complex problem after hours of brainstorming.

C1 Despite his experience, he still stumbled occasionally during the high-pressure project.

C2 The seasoned detective never stumbled in solving the most challenging cases.

Examples of stumble in a Sentence

formal The hiker stumbled over a large rock on the trail.

informal I always seem to stumble on my words when I'm nervous.

slang I can't believe I stumbled upon this cool new restaurant downtown.

figurative After facing many obstacles, she finally stumbled upon success.

Grammatical Forms of stumble

past tense

stumbled

plural

stumbles

comparative

more stumbled

superlative

most stumbled

present tense

stumble

future tense

will stumble

perfect tense

have stumbled

continuous tense

is stumbling

singular

stumbles

positive degree

stumble

infinitive

to stumble

gerund

stumbling

participle

stumbled

Origin and Evolution of stumble

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'stumble' originated from the Old English word 'stumelian' which meant to trip or stagger.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'stumble' has evolved to not only mean physically tripping or staggering but also to refer to making a mistake or encountering an obstacle in a figurative sense.