stumble into
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To begin a course of action by accident, while intending to do something else.
Register: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
He stumbled into a firefighting career in his early 20s.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “stumble into” mean?
To begin a course of action by accident, while intending to do something else.
Is “stumble into” formal or informal?
stumble into is generally informal.