1 B1 neutral
To lose one's balance while walking and fall into or knock against something.
"He stumbled against the bookcase and several books fell to the floor."
inseparable
stumble against
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To lose one's balance and fall or knock against something.
In plain English
Trip and accidentally hit something or someone.
What does "stumble against" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To stumble (lose balance) and fall against something — the physical act of tripping into an object.
Actually means
Trip and accidentally hit something or someone.
Usage tip
Primarily used in its literal physical sense. Less common than 'stumble on' or 'stumble over'. Rarely used idiomatically.
Words that pair with "stumble against"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
wall chair table door kerb
How to conjugate "stumble against"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
stumble against
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stumbles against
he/she/it
Past simple
stumbled against
yesterday
Past participle
stumbled against
have + pp
-ing form
stumbling against
continuous
Hear "stumble against" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "stumble against" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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