How to pronounce stumble
Say it like STUHM-bul. Stumble has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce stumble. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STUHM
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stumble pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of stumble
American and British speakers say stumble in essentially the same way: /ˈstʌmbəl/ in the US and /ˈstʌmbəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: STUHM-bul.
What does stumble mean?
- To misstep; to walk or run clumsily; to trip or fall.“He stumbled over a rock.”
- To make mistakes, to have trouble.“I always stumble over verbs in Spanish.”
- To cause to stumble or trip.
- A fall, trip or substantial misstep.
- An error or blunder.
- A clumsy walk.
Where does stumble come from?
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stam- (“to trip up; to stammer, stutter”), thereby related to German stumm (“mute”), Dutch stom (“dumb”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with stumble
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of stumble.
Questions about saying stumble
How do you pronounce stumble?
Say STUHM-bul. The American pronunciation is /ˈstʌmbəl/. In British English it is /ˈstʌmbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stumble?
Stumble has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STUHM). Broken into parts: STUHM · bul.
Do Americans and Brits say stumble the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈstʌmbəl/ and the British form is /ˈstʌmbəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.