stumbles
Loses one's footing
Stumbles is the verb stumble in third-person singular or a plural noun.
To stumble is to trip or lose balance while walking: She stumbles on the uneven pavement.
Figuratively, to stumble is to falter or make a mistake: The candidate stumbles when asked about his record.
To stumble upon something is to discover it by chance.
As a noun, stumbles are instances of tripping or faltering: His stumbles on the dance floor were endearing.
Planned travel somewhere
- fallDescend under gravity
- tumbleUncontrolled rolling descent
- slipMinor error or misstep
- misstepError in action or judgment
uneven ground · pavement · sidewalk · root · obstacle · balance · wobble · lurch
Wrong action or decision
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- gaffeClumsy social error
- slipupUnintentional minor error
- misstepError in action or judgment
flub · bungle · oversight · faux pas · blooper · snafu · miscue · misspeaking
Lacking grace or ease
- ungainlyLacking ease of movement
- uncoordinatedLacking physical grace
- bumblingClumsily incompetent
- fumbleHandle with clumsy fingers
blundering · lumbering · shambling · gawky · klutz · oaf · butterfingers · maladroit
Lose momentum or steadiness
- hesitatePause in uncertainty
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
- waverHesitate or fluctuate
- stammerSpeak with involuntary repetitions
stutter · hem and haw · tongue-tied · halting · nervous · unsure · tentative · second-guess
Locate through effort
- discoverFind something unknown
- encounterUnexpected meeting or confrontation
- chance uponFind unexpectedly
- happen uponEncounter unexpectedly
come across · uncover · unearth · serendipity · lucky find · surprise · unexpected
trip
Planned travel somewhere
misstep · uneven ground · pavement · sidewalk · root · obstacle · balance · wobble · lurch · stagger
mistake
Wrong action or decision
misstep · flub · bungle · oversight · faux pas · blooper · snafu · miscue · misspeaking · botch
awkward
Lacking grace or ease
- ungainlyLacking ease of movement
- uncoordinatedLacking physical grace
- bumblingClumsily incompetent
fumble · blundering · lumbering · shambling · gawky · klutz · oaf · butterfingers · maladroit · clumsy
falter
Lose momentum or steadiness
stammer · stutter · hem and haw · tongue-tied · halting · nervous · unsure · tentative · second-guess
find
Locate through effort
- discoverFind something unknown
- encounterUnexpected meeting or confrontation
- chance uponFind unexpectedly
happen upon · come across · uncover · unearth · serendipity · lucky find · surprise · unexpected
stumblesseeks
Attempts to find
misses · overlooks · pursues · investigates · tracks down
- stumbled uponFound unexpectedly
- stumble acrossFind unexpectedly, unintentionally
- stumble uponFind unexpectedly
- stumbled acrossFound without searching
- stumble onDiscover by chance
- stumbled onFound unexpectedly
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