to hit your foot against something and almost fall while you are walking or running
Walking through the dark attic, Lucy stumbled over a loose board and dropped her flashlight.
A distracted shopper stumbled on the supermarket floor when his shoelace came undone.
to walk or move in an unsteady, clumsy way, as if you are about to fall
After the long flight, Mia stumbled into the hotel lobby, exhausted and half asleep.
The injured football player stumbled toward the bench holding his ankle.
to pause, hesitate, or make mistakes while speaking, reading, or performing something
Nervous about the presentation, Daniel stumbled over his first few words.
She stumbled while reading the unfamiliar scientific terms aloud.
to find or meet something or someone by chance, usually expressed as “stumble on/upon/across”
We stumbled upon a tiny café hidden in a back alley.
While cleaning the attic, Sara stumbled on her grandmother's wartime letters.
