STUMBLE
Dictionary entry overview: What does stumble mean?
• STUMBLE (noun)
The noun STUMBLE has 2 senses:
1. an unsteady uneven gait
2. an unintentional but embarrassing blunder
Familiarity information: STUMBLE used as a noun is rare.
• STUMBLE (verb)
The verb STUMBLE has 4 senses:
1. walk unsteadily
2. miss a step and fall or nearly fall
3. encounter by chance
4. make an error
Familiarity information: STUMBLE used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• STUMBLE (noun)
Meaning:
An unsteady uneven gait
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
lurch; stagger; stumble
Hypernyms ("stumble" is a kind of...):
gait (a person's manner of walking)
Meaning:
An unintentional but embarrassing blunder
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
misstep; trip-up; stumble; trip
Context examples:
he recited the whole poem without a single trip / he arranged his robes to avoid a trip-up later / confusion caused his unfortunate misstep
Hypernyms ("stumble" is a kind of...):
bloomer; blooper; blunder; boner; boo-boo; botch; bungle; flub; foul-up; fuckup; pratfall (an embarrassing mistake)
• STUMBLE (verb)
Meaning:
Walk unsteadily
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
stumble; bumble; falter
Context example:
The drunk man stumbled about
Hypernyms (to "stumble" is one way to...):
walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Miss a step and fall or nearly fall
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
trip; stumble
Context example:
She stumbled over the tree root
Hypernyms (to "stumble" is one way to...):
move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)
"Stumble" entails doing...:
walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stumble"):
founder (stumble and nearly fall)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Sentence example:
Sam and Sue stumble
Meaning:
Encounter by chance
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
stumble; hit
Context example:
I stumbled across a long-lost cousin last night in a restaurant
Hypernyms (to "stumble" is one way to...):
come by (obtain, especially accidentally)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Make an error
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
slip up; trip up; stumble
Context example:
She slipped up and revealed the name
Hypernyms (to "stumble" is one way to...):
err; mistake; slip (to make a mistake or be incorrect)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
