# tumble on

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/tumble-on
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To accidentally encounter (a person or situation).

## Examples

- I tumbled on a great book at the library today.
- While I was searching for my lost keys, I tumbled on an old photograph from my childhood.
- During his aimless wanderings through the city, he tumbled on a hidden garden that seemed untouched by the passage of time.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.