stumble upon — to discover or encounter something by chance or unexpectedly
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to discover or encounter something by chance or unexpectedly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈstʌmbl əˌpɑn/
Example Sentences
- While googling cat videos, I stumbled upon my ex-boyfriend's embarrassing dance tutorial.
- The scientist stumbled upon a groundbreaking discovery by accident.
- I stumbled upon a 24-hour pizza place at 3 AM - it was like finding an oasis in the desert.
stumble upon
VERB[/ˈstʌmbl əˌpɑn/]
to discover or encounter something by chance or unexpectedly
to discover or encounter something by chance or unexpectedly
Sometimes you tumble to stumble upon something humble yet incredible!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Stumble originates from Middle English, derived from Old Norse 'stumla' meaning 'to stumble or trip.' The phrase 'stumble upon' developed metaphorically from the literal sense of stumbling while walking, extending to the accidental discovery of something unexpected, as if one had literally tripped over it.
Breakdown
stumble (to trip or move unsteadily) + upon (on, over) — combining the verb of physical misstep with the preposition 'upon' to create the phrasal verb meaning 'to discover by chance.'
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“While googling cat videos, I stumbled upon my ex-boyfriend's embarrassing dance tutorial.”
“The scientist stumbled upon a groundbreaking discovery by accident.”
“I stumbled upon a 24-hour pizza place at 3 AM - it was like finding an oasis in the desert.”
“She stumbled upon the perfect apartment just when she was about to give up her search.”
📚Related Words
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