stumble
/ˈstʌm.bəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstʌm.bəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstəm-bəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈstʌmbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstʌmbl/ (ame, ipa)
stumble — verb
- stumblepresent simple I / you / we / they
- stumbles3rd person singular
- stumbling-ing form
- stumbledpast simple
1. to accidentally put your foot down on an uneven surface or against an object, so
to accidentally put your foot down on an uneven surface or against an object, so that you lose your balance and tip forward
Pim stumbled on the loose paving stone and scraped his knee.
stumble + on [surface/object]
Shirin stumbled over a tree root in the dark forest and nearly fell.
stumble + over [obstacle]
Sora stumbled as he got off the bus and grabbed the railing just in time.
Running too fast on the wet floor, Amelia stumbled and fell hard.
A small toy on the stairs made Charlotte stumble and reach for the handrail.
- trip
more common when the fall happens because something catches your foot
- lose your balance
focuses on the loss of control rather than the obstacle
- keep your footing
opposite result — managing to walk steadily despite the obstacle
文法句型
stumble + on/over [object]
用法筆記
Often used with 'on' (stumble on a rock) or 'over' (stumble over a step). The object is usually an obstacle on the ground that you did not see.
常見錯誤
2. to move with a shaky, uncontrolled gait, as though about to fall over, often bec
to move with a shaky, uncontrolled gait, as though about to fall over, often because you are exhausted, hurt, or sleepy
After the long hike, Tamas stumbled through the campsite before collapsing onto his bed.
stumble + through [place] (moving across with difficulty)
The injured player stumbled off the field with help from the medical team.
Otis stumbled along the dark hallway, still half-asleep and rubbing his eyes.
Amira stumbled into the kitchen at dawn, too tired to turn on the lights.
- walk steadily
the opposite movement — controlled and balanced
文法句型
stumble + adverb of direction (along/into/through)
用法筆記
Emphasises the unsteady quality of the movement itself, rather than contact with an obstacle. Directional adverbs (along, into, through, across) are very common.
3. to make mistakes while speaking, such as repeating words, saying the wrong thing
to make mistakes while speaking, such as repeating words, saying the wrong thing, or pausing at awkward moments; also used for mistakes while playing music
Constanza stumbled over the pronunciation of the chemical name in class.
stumble + over [word/phrase] (a specific difficulty)
Gabriel stumbled several times during his wedding speech but the guests were kind.
The young pianist stumbled on a difficult section and had to restart the piece.
Adisa felt nervous and stumbled through his presentation, mixing up important dates.
- speak fluently
the opposite — smooth, confident speech without errors
文法句型
stumble + over [word/phrase]
stumble + through [speech/presentation]
用法筆記
Common with 'over' when referring to a specific word or name, and 'through' when the whole speech is affected. Both speaking and musical performance are valid contexts.
常見錯誤
4. to experience difficulties, make mistakes, or have a period of struggle while tr
to experience difficulties, make mistakes, or have a period of struggle while trying to achieve something
The new company stumbled badly in its first year due to poor planning.
Vikram stumbled on the final exam even though he had prepared for weeks.
stumble + on [test/task] (to perform poorly at it)
Charlotte's career stumbled when the factory closed and jobs became rare.
The peace talks stumbled because neither side would accept the main conditions.
文法句型
stumble + through [period/process]
stumble + in [endeavour]
用法筆記
Often describes organisations, plans, or careers rather than people directly. The cause is usually an external obstacle or a mistake in judgment. Distinguish from sense 4 (verb/3), which is about speaking/music errors only.
5. to discover something or meet someone unexpectedly, without having planned or se
to discover something or meet someone unexpectedly, without having planned or searched for it
Shirin stumbled upon a beautiful old bookshop while exploring the back streets of Kyoto.
stumble upon [place/thing] (unexpected discovery)
While cleaning the attic, Sora stumbled across a box of letters from his grandmother.
stumble across [object] (find while doing something else)
Otis stumbled on a great recipe for mushroom soup while browsing a cooking blog.
The archaeologists stumbled upon ancient pottery while digging near the riverbank.
- come across
very similar; more neutral in register
- encounter
more formal; can be planned or unplanned
- discover
implies you found something new or unknown, not necessarily by accident
- search for
the deliberate opposite — looking for something on purpose
- seek out
implies active, intentional searching
文法句型
stumble + upon/across/on + [thing/person]
用法筆記
This sense is always used with one of three prepositions: 'upon', 'across', or 'on'. 'Stumble upon' and 'stumble across' are the most common. The person did not intend to find the thing — it happened by luck or accident.
常見錯誤
stumble — noun
- stumblesingular
- stumblesplural
1. an occasion when someone hits their foot against something and loses balance, fa
an occasion when someone hits their foot against something and loses balance, falling or nearly falling
A small stumble on the stairs sent Amelia's shopping bags flying everywhere.
Pim's stumble during the race cost him his chance at the winner's trophy.
possessive + stumble (someone's stumble)
The dancer turned a near stumble into a graceful spin that the audience loved.
Charlotte took a stumble on the uneven pavement but caught herself quickly.
- trip
very similar; 'trip' often emphasises the cause (what caught the foot), while 'stumble' focuses on the loss of balance
文法句型
a + stumble
take a stumble
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'take' (take a stumble) or with a possessive noun (his stumble). Unlike the verb sense, the noun focuses on the event itself rather than the action.
2. a mistake made while speaking, such as repeating a word, saying the wrong thing,
a mistake made while speaking, such as repeating a word, saying the wrong thing, or pausing awkwardly; also used for mistakes in music
The news anchor's stumble during the live broadcast became a popular online clip.
A small stumble in her pronunciation did not reduce the impact of her speech.
Gabriel's stumble over the technical terms showed he had not rehearsed enough.
The politician's verbal stumble during the debate gave her opponent an opening.
- slip of the tongue
specific to saying the wrong word by accident; very common idiom
- hesitation
focuses on the pause rather than the error
- verbal stumble
a common collocation for this specific meaning
文法句型
a + stumble
a verbal stumble
用法筆記
Often appears with a possessive or with 'over' to indicate what caused the difficulty. This noun sense is less common than the corresponding verb sense (verb sense 3).
3. a problem, temporary failure, or difficulty that delays progress toward a goal
a problem, temporary failure, or difficulty that delays progress toward a goal
The project hit an early stumble when the main investor withdrew their support.
hit a stumble (experience a setback)
Every startup faces a few stumbles before finding a working business model.
Despite an early stumble in the talks, both sides eventually reached an agreement.
The band's career suffered a stumble when their lead singer left the group.
- breakthrough
the opposite — a sudden advance or success after difficulty
文法句型
a + stumble + in [endeavour]
用法筆記
Common in business and project contexts. Often used with 'hit' (hit a stumble) or with an adjective (an early stumble, a minor stumble). The setback is usually temporary, not final.