stumble

//ˈstʌm.bəl//
B1Frequency Level 8Neutral
Visual representation of stumble

Verb

stumbleInfinitive
stumblePresent tense
stumbledPast tense
stumbledPast participle
stumblingPresent participle
stumblesThird-person singular
1

to trip or momentarily lose one's balance while walking or running

She stumbled on a rock and nearly fell.

2

to walk or move in an unsteady way

He stumbled down the dark hallway.

3

to make a mistake or encounter difficulty when speaking or performing

He stumbled over his words during the presentation.

4

to discover or encounter something by chance

I stumbled upon an old photo album in the attic.

Noun

1

an act of stumbling or tripping

She recovered quickly from her stumble on the stairs.

2

a mistake or blunder

The company recovered quickly from its early stumbles.