Definitions

tumble

[tuhm-buhl] / ˈtʌm bəl /

VERB

fall or make fall awkwardly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

descend dip drop flop go down nose-dive plummet plunge sag skid slip slump spill stumble topple

STRONG

disarrange disarray disorder disturb down flatten floor jumble keel level pitch roll toss trip unsettle upset

WEAK

bowl down bring down do a pratfall fall headlong go belly up hit the dirt keel over knock down knock over lose footing lose it mess up take a header tip over

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ascend go up increase rise

STRONG

order

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.

Sam got a little cocky, tried a show-off spin, got his bird legs tangled and took a tumble.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

Read more: Oil prices tumble nearly 20% in May — the biggest monthly drop since 2020.

From MarketWatch • May 31, 2026

This is not a tale where the heroine’s acceptable aesthetics are revealed by her removing her glasses or allowing her tousled waves to tumble out of a tightly pinned hairdo.

From Salon • May 20, 2026

Shares of BellRing Brands, the maker of Premier Protein drinks and PowerBar snacks, tumble nearly 40%.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

But if they were accidents, then it was like putting a jigsaw puzzle into a tumble dryer and having it come out with all the pieces in the right place.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

Vocabulary lists containing tumble

Going Down: Synonyms for "Fall"

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The Road to Freedom

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"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 4

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