Stumble Meaning
/ˈstʌmbəl/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA fall, trip or substantial misstep.
nounAn error or blunder.
Sentence Examples
I often stumble over something as I am blind as a bat in the dark.
She walked carefully so as not to stumble over a rock.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She was so tired that she began to ____ over her own feet on the stairs.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Be careful not to ____ over the loose rug in the hallway, which has been causing a lot of problems lately.
Word Origin & History
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stam- (“to trip up; to stammer, stutter”), thereby related to German stumm (“mute”), Dutch stom (“dumb”). Doublet of stammer. Also related to verb in Dutch stommelen (“to walk silently”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I went to his aid. As he said, a board in the floor was loose. His stepping on it unawares had caused his stumble."
— 1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:
"Possibly Mr. Carrados was considering it from his own way round for he did not appear to notice anything in her stumble."
— 1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
"She owns up to early stumbles, such as bottles being mislabeled."
— 2022 July 21, Emily Hell, “TikTok’s Pink Sauce chef defends her viral condiment”, in Washington Post:
"From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away."
— 2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
"He stumbled up the dark avenue."
— 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She was so tired that she began to ____ over her own feet on the stairs.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Be careful not to ____ over the loose rug in the hallway, which has been causing a lot of problems lately.