Stumbles — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily

"the bride stumbled on the altar steps and landed smack in the arms of the minister"

to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

"stumbled twice while she was reciting the Gettysburg Address"

to move heavily or clumsily

"the tipsy revelers left the path and wearily stumbled through the tangled undergrowth"

to make a mistake

"that network announcer rarely stumbles when he's on the air"

an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy

"was his hurtful remark a regrettable stumble, or was it made with artful intention?"

the act of going down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily

"has bones so brittle that a minor stumble could result in a serious break"

to come upon unexpectedly or by chance

"stumbled on some old family photos when she was cleaning out a drawer"

to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face

"stumbled upon an old acquaintance at the airport"