Word
stumble
Phoneticsstum·ble, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈstəmbəɫ/
UK/stˈʌmbəl/
Definitions
01to trip while walking
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to hit your foot against something while walking and almost fall.
v. to trip or momentarily lose one's balance while walking or running. Intransitive; often followed by 'on' or 'over'.
“I stumbled on a loose rock and nearly fell down the hill.”
“The hiker stumbled over a hidden root in the undergrowth, narrowly avoiding a serious injury on the steep descent.”
Usage
Often used with 'on' or 'over' to indicate the obstacle.
02to find by accident
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to find something or meet someone by chance.
v. to encounter or discover something unexpectedly. Always takes 'upon' or 'across'.
“We stumbled across a lovely little café while exploring the back streets.”
“While researching the local history, the archivist stumbled upon a series of letters that changed the town's understanding of the war.”
Usage
Requires the preposition 'across' or 'upon'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “stumble” in context.
Verb
01. cause a stumble
“A loose floorboard caused a stumble that left him with a bruised knee.”
verb + noun
02. recover from a stumble
“The athlete managed to recover from a stumble and still win the race.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
03. momentary stumble
“A momentary stumble during her speech didn't stop her from receiving a standing ovation.”
adj + noun
04. slight stumble
“After a slight stumble in the first quarter, the company's profits began to soar.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. stumble in the process
“Any stumble in the process could delay the product launch by several months.”
noun + prep + noun
Preposition
06. without a stumble
“She recited the entire poem from memory without a stumble.”
prep + noun
07. stumbled upon
Real-World Examples
“Vulcan has stumbled due to ongoing problems with the performance of its solid rocket boosters, which are provided by Northrop Grumman.” “Labourers were laying drainage pipes when they stumbled across the gold.”
Kobe and his colleagues called the police and notified CAW as soon as they came across the gold hoard.” “The construction workers stumbled across the hidden trove of gold bars and coins while drilling to lay new sewage pipes in the property in east Flanders earlier this week, local media report.” “The Busquets had rested untouched for more than 750 years before Aguelo Mas stumbled upon the site.” Etymology
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stam- (“to trip up; to stammer, stutter”), thereby related to German stumm (“mute”), Dutch stom (“dumb”). Doublet of stammer. Also related to verb in Dutch stommelen (“to walk silently”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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