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Prepositions after verbs

stumble upon and stumble across

Both expressions mean to find something by chance, with only small differences in tone.

Quick answer

Should I use stumble upon or stumble across?

Both stumble upon and stumble across mean to discover something unexpectedly. Stumble upon is slightly more common in formal writing, while stumble across is often more conversational.

I stumbled upon an old diary in the attic.
She stumbled across a useful article online.
We stumbled upon a small café during our trip.
He stumbled across the answer by accident.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
stumble upon + discovery

Unexpected discovery

Use stumble upon for accidental discoveries in speech and writing.

They stumbled upon a hidden beach while hiking.
2
stumble across + discovery

Casual or conversational discovery

Use stumble across in similar situations, often in informal contexts.

I stumbled across her message yesterday.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
stumble upon
She stumbled upon a rare photograph.
find something unexpectedly
stumble across
He stumbled across an interesting website.
discover something by chance
come across
I came across an old friend downtown.
meet or find unexpectedly; often less dramatic

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using stumble without a preposition for accidental discovery

For this meaning, stumble is normally followed by upon or across.

✕ I stumbled a solution online. ✓ I stumbled upon a solution online.

Confusing physical stumbling with discovery

Without upon or across, stumble usually refers to losing balance.

✕ She stumbled the document. ✓ She stumbled across the document.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We stumbled ___ a beautiful garden during our walk.
2. He stumbled ___ an old recording online.
3. She stumbled ___ a useful solution by accident.

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Frequently asked questions

Is there a strong difference between stumble upon and stumble across?

No. The meanings are very close, and both are widely used.

Can stumble upon be used in formal writing?

Yes. It is common in both formal and informal English.

Do these expressions always describe physical movement?

No. They often describe accidental discoveries, including online or abstract discoveries.

sack, by, sack, for, sack, from "sacrifice for" or "sacrifice to"? sail from, in, for, to or through? "salvage from" or "salvage in"? sanction by, for, in, with or according? satisfy with, by, in, about or after? "saturate with" or "saturate in"? save by, for, from, on or in? "say in", "say about" or "say to"? "scan for", "scan in" or "scan through"? "scar by" or "scar on"? scatter in, across, around, throughout or on?

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