stumbling

ADJECTIVE

awkward

Synonyms

STRONGEST

amateurish rude stiff

WEAK

all thumbs artless blundering bulky bumbling bungling butterfingers coarse floundering gawky graceless green having two left feet having two left hands incompetent inept inexpert klutzy lumbering maladroit oafish uncoordinated uncouth unfit ungainly ungraceful unhandy unpolished unrefined unskilled unskillful

Antonyms

WEAK

adroit artful clever convenient dexterous easy elegant graceful handy skillful straightforward

ADJECTIVE

clumsy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bulky heavy-handed inept ponderous ungainly unwieldy

WEAK

all thumbs blundering blunderous bumbling bungling butterfingered clownish crude elephantine gauche gawkish gawky graceless ham-handed heavy helpless hulking ill-shaped incompetent inelegant inexperienced inexpert lubberly lumbering lumpish maladroit oafish splay unable unadept uncoordinated uncouth undexterous uneasy unhandy unskillful untactful untalented untoward weedy

Antonyms

WEAK

adroit agile athletic clever coordinated couth dexterous expert graceful

ADJECTIVE

halting

Synonyms

STRONGEST

awkward clumsy labored tentative

STRONG

bumbling faltering limping lumbering slow stammering stuttering vacillating wavering

WEAK

claudicant doubtful gauche imperfect indecisive inept irresolute maladroit uncertain unhandy vacillatory wooden

Antonyms

STRONGEST

adroit clever dexterous easy graceful

WEAK

flowing smooth unhesitating

ADJECTIVE

klutzy

Synonyms

WEAK

all thumbs amateurish artless blundering bulky bumbling bungling butterfingers clumsy coarse floundering gawky graceless green having two left feet having two left hands incompetent inept inexpert lumbering lumpish maladroit oafish rude stiff uncoordinated uncouth unfit ungainly ungraceful unhandy unpolished unrefined unskilled unskillful

ADJECTIVE

maladroit

Synonyms

WEAK

all thumbs blundering bumbling bungling clunky floundering gauche halting heavy-handed inept inexpert klutzy lumbering two left feet ungraceful unhandy unskillful

Antonyms

WEAK

able capable diplomatic nice sensitive skillful tactful

ADJECTIVE

oafish

Synonyms

WEAK

all thumbs blundering blunderous bumbling bungling butterfingered dumb gawkish gawky graceless half-witted heavy-handed idiotic ignorant inelegant inept klutzy lubberly lumbering lumpish moronic simple simpleminded slow uncoordinated undexterous ungainly unintelligent

ADJECTIVE

uncoordinated

Synonyms

STRONGEST

heavy-handed

WEAK

all thumbs bumbling bungling butterfingered gawkish gawky graceless klutzy like a bull in a china shop lumbering not agile unadept ungainly ungraceful unhandy unskillful

NOUN

hesitation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

doubt equivocation hesitancy indecision misgiving mistrust pause procrastination qualm reluctance skepticism unwillingness vacillation

STRONG

dawdling delay demurral dubiety faltering fluctuation indecisiveness indisposition irresolution oscillation scruple wavering

WEAK

averseness delaying fumbling hemming and hawing stammering stuttering

Antonyms

STRONGEST

belief certainty confidence faith trust

WEAK

eagerness go perseverance sureness

NOUN

indecisiveness

Synonyms

STRONG

dawdling delay demurral doubt dubiety equivocation faltering fluctuation hesitancy indecision indisposition irresoluteness irresolution misgiving mistrust oscillation pause procrastination qualm reluctance scruple skepticism timidity timidness unwillingness vacillation wavering

WEAK

averseness delaying fumbling hemming and hawing shilly-shally stammering stuttering tentativeness to and fro

Antonyms

STRONG

belief certainty confidence faith trust

NOUN

irresoluteness

Synonyms

STRONG

dawdling delay demurral doubt dubiety equivocation faltering fluctuation hesitancy indecision indecisiveness indisposition irresolution misgiving mistrust oscillation pause procrastination qualm reluctance scruple skepticism timidity timidness unwillingness vacillation wavering

WEAK

averseness delaying fumbling hemming and hawing shilly-shally stammering stuttering tentativeness to and fro

Antonyms

STRONG

belief certainty confidence faith trust

NOUN

irresolution

Synonyms

STRONG

dawdling delay demurral doubt dubiety equivocation faltering fluctuation hesitancy indecision indecisiveness indisposition irresoluteness misgiving mistrust oscillation pause procrastination qualm reluctance scruple skepticism timidity timidness unwillingness vacillation wavering

WEAK

averseness delaying fumbling hemming and hawing shilly-shally stammering stuttering tentativeness to and fro

Antonyms

STRONG

belief certainty confidence faith trust

NOUN

tentativeness

Synonyms

WEAK

averseness dawdling delay delaying demurral doubt dubiety equivocation faltering fluctuation fumbling hemming and hawing hesitancy indecision indecisiveness indisposition irresoluteness irresolution misgiving mistrust oscillation pause procrastination qualm reluctance scruple shilly-shally skepticism stammering stuttering timidity timidness to and fro unwillingness vacillation wavering

NOUN

timidness

Synonyms

STRONG

dawdling delay demurral doubt dubiety equivocation faltering fluctuation hesitancy indecision indecisiveness indisposition irresoluteness irresolution misgiving mistrust oscillation pause procrastination qualm reluctance scruple skepticism timidity unwillingness vacillation wavering

WEAK

averseness delaying fumbling hemming and hawing shilly-shally stammering stuttering tentativeness to and fro

Antonyms

STRONG

belief certainty confidence faith trust

NOUN

to and fro

Synonyms

WEAK

averseness dawdling delay delaying demurral doubt dubiety equivocation faltering fluctuation fumbling hemming and hawing hesitancy indecision indecisiveness indisposition irresoluteness irresolution misgiving mistrust oscillation pause procrastination qualm reluctance scruple shilly-shally skepticism stammering stuttering tentativeness timidity timidness unwillingness vacillation wavering

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There’s the kind of choosing to be a liberal and then stumbling into it.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

He executed wonderfully on the possibilities of technology and the commercial environment, even so stumbling into a gold mine to trump all gold mines, the iPhone.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

This year's summit could hit any number of stumbling blocks.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

Many can relate to the buzz of stumbling upon a hidden gem.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

I walk faster, stumbling over trash and broken pieces of pavement.

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

stumbling

Example Sentences

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