stumble upon
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To discover or find something by accident.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Phát hiện hoặc tìm thấy điều gì đó bằng tai nạn
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Underneath a black cliff where the incoming tide smashed on the shingle, they stumbled upon the mail hood of Hrothgar's murdered vassal.
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).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To meet somebody by chance.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “stumble upon” mean?
To discover or find something by accident.
Is “stumble upon” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.