Meaning
Tumble means to fall suddenly and uncontrollably, often after losing balance. It can also mean to decrease sharply (e.g., prices, reputation) or to move in a confused or rolling way.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: Verb (intransitive or transitive)
- Past tense: tumbled
- Present participle: tumbling
Common structures:
- tumble down — to fall to the ground (e.g., a wall tumbling down)
- tumble over — to trip or fall over something
- tumble into — to fall into a situation or place
- tumble out — to come out suddenly and in disorder
Example patterns:
- Something tumbles down
- Someone tumbles over something
- Prices tumbled dramatically
Common Phrases
- tumble down – collapse or fall apart
- take a tumble – fall or experience a sudden drop
- tumble out of bed – get out of bed clumsily
- tumble into trouble – get into difficulty suddenly
Collocations
- tumble down the stairs
- tumble onto the floor
- stock prices tumble
- tumble and roll
- hair tumbling over shoulders
Examples
- She tumbled down the stairs but wasn’t hurt.
- The old building finally tumbled down after years of neglect.
- Stock prices tumbled after the announcement.
- The child tumbled over the toy truck on the floor.
- He tumbled out of bed when he heard the alarm.
- Laughter tumbled out of the crowded room.
- The company’s reputation tumbled due to the scandal.
- Leaves tumbled along the street in the wind.
Synonyms or Related
- fall
- collapse
- plunge
- topple
- stumble
Antonym
- rise
- ascend
- climb
- soar