verb / noun

stumble

STUM-bul/stˈʌmbʌl/

To lose footing while moving forward.

The man stumbles over a raised paving edge and spreads his arms.

A walking man catches the toe of his shoe on a raised paving edge and pitches forward, spreading his arms to recover his balance before falling.

Etymology

stumbleMiddle Englishto trip, miss one's footing

Middle English stomblen described tripping or missing one's footing, the same physical mishap meant today. Its “false step” image also extended to mistakes in conduct or speech.

In context

Empire of Acres20:47

Mesa country, canyon country, rocky footing and steep descents. A horse that can work flat ground may stumble and fall when the land tilts.

The Dark Story of a Kingdom Built on Scarcity: Bell Ranch

More examples

I stumbled on the stairs but caught the railing.
A stumble near the finish line cost her the race.
Watch for loose rocks to avoid stumbling on the trail.

Forms

stumble · stumbles · stumbled · stumbling

Similar words

trip: Specifically suggests catching your foot on an obstacle.
slip: Suggests losing traction rather than catching your foot.