stumbled across

Discovered by chance

To stumble across something is to find it by accident, without looking for it: I stumbled across some old photos in the attic, She stumbled across the perfect solution while researching something else.

The phrase suggests fortunate discovery rather than deliberate search.

Also stumbled upon, stumbled on.

discovery

found

Discovered or established

uncoveredMade visible or known
encounteredCame upon or faced
unearthedRetrieved from the ground

discovered · happened upon · chanced upon · ran into · spotted · noticed · located · revealed · artifact · manuscript

serendipity

chance

Likelihood of occurrence

coincidenceUnplanned matching of events
luckChance affecting outcomes
happenstanceUnplanned circumstance

fortuitous · unexpected · random · accidental · unplanned · fluke · providence · kismet · fate · destiny

treasure

jackpot

Accumulated gambling prize

goldmineRich ore deposit
gemPolished precious stone
findLocate through effort

catch · bounty · prize · bargain · deal · rare find · hidden gem · collector's item · antique · vintage

reaction

surprised

Caught unawares

amazedOverwhelmed by sudden wonder
astonishedGreatly shocked, overwhelmed
shockedDeeply startled or appalled

delighted · thrilled · intrigued · fascinated · curious · bewildered · stunned · taken aback · double take · jaw dropped

Opposites

intentionality of discovery

stumbled acrosstracked down

Found by following leads

targeted · looked for · pursued · researched · went after

effort and method

stumbled acrossdug up

Extracted from ground

researched · investigated · excavated · rooted out

awareness and expectation

stumbled acrossanticipated

Expected in advance

predicted · foresaw

Family

stumble, stumbled, stumbling, stumbles, stumbler, across, cross, crossed, crossing

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G