# stumble

/ˈstəmbəɫ/ (US) · /stˈʌmbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stumble
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to trip while walking

verb · CEFR B2

to hit your foot against something while walking and almost fall.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. to find by accident

verb · CEFR B2

to find something or meet someone by chance.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- A small stumble on the stairs caused her to drop the tray.
- The politician's minor stumble during the debate was widely discussed by the media the following morning.
- While the company's first-quarter stumble concerned investors, the CEO maintained that it was merely a temporary lapse in an otherwise robust growth strategy.

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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.