English dictionary

tumbles Meaning & Definition

ˈtəm-bəl

What Does Tumbles Mean?

As a verb, tumbles means to fall suddenly and helplessly. It can also mean to suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat. As a noun, it means a disordered mass of objects or material.

Quick Facts About Tumbles

Part of speech	verb, noun
Pronunciation	/ˈtəm-bəl/
Syllables	2
Synonyms	agglomerates, agglomerations and alphabet soups
Antonyms	orders, methods and patterns

Tumbles Definition (Verb)

to fall suddenly and helplessly
to suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat
to decline suddenly and sharply (as in price) : drop
the stock market tumbled
to fall into ruin : collapse
to perform gymnastic feats in tumbling
to turn end over end in falling or flight
to roll over and over, to and fro, or end over end : toss
to issue forth hurriedly and confusedly
to come by chance : stumble
to come to understand : catch on
didn't tumble to the seriousness of the problem
to cause to tumble (as by pushing or toppling)
to throw together in a confused mass
rumple, disorder
to whirl in a tumbling barrel

Tumbles as a Noun

a disordered mass of objects or material
a disorderly state
an act or instance of tumbling

Synonyms of Tumbles

agglomerates agglomerations alphabet soups assortments botches clutters collages crazy quilts farragoes gallimaufries grab bags gumbos hashes hodgepodges hotchpotches jambalayas jumbles jungles litters macédoines medleys mélanges menageries miscellanea miscellanies mishmashes mixed bags montages motleys muddles olios olla podridas omnium-gatherums pastiches patchwork quilts patchworks potpourris ragbags ragouts rummages salads salmagundis scrambles shuffles smorgasbords stews varieties welters falls slips spills stumbles chance-medleys chaoses confusions disarrangements disarrays dishevelments disorders disorganizations free-for-alls havoc hecks hells mare's nests messes misorders musses shambles snake pits topples trips crashes craters declines descends dips dives drops lowers nose-dives plummets plunges sinks skids confuses deranges disarranges discomposes dishevels disjoints dislocates disorganizes disrupts disturbs messes (up)mixes (up)rumples tousles upsets buckles caves (in)collapses crumples founders gives goes goes out implodes yields agglomerate agglomeration alphabet soup assortment botch clutter collage crazy quilt farrago gallimaufry grab bag gumbo hash hodgepodge hotchpotch jambalaya jumble jungle litter macédoine medley mélange menagerie miscellany mishmash mixed bag montage motley muddle olio olla podrida omnium-gatherum pastiche patchwork patchwork quilt potpourri ragbag ragout rummage salad salmagundi scramble shuffle smorgasbord stew variety welter fall slip spill stumble chance-medley chaos confusion disarrangement disarray dishevelment disorder disorderedness disorderliness disorganization free-for-all heck hell mare's nest mess messiness misorder muss snake pit topple trip crash crater decline descend dip dive drop lower nose-dive plummet plunge sink skid confuse derange disarrange discompose dishevel disjoint dislocate disorganize disrupt disturb mess (up)mix (up)rumple tousle upset buckle cave (in)collapse crumple founder give go go out implode yield appreciate apprehend assimilate behold catch catch on (to)cognize compass comprehend conceivecotton (to or on to)decipher decode dig discern get grasp grok intuit know make make out perceive recognize register savvy see seize sense twig understandchance (upon)encounter findhappen (on or upon)hit (upon)light (on or upon)meetpitch (upon)stumble (on or onto)

Tumbles synonyms and antonyms →

Antonyms of Tumbles

orders methods patterns plans systems gets up rises stands (up)uprises arises ascends lifts mounts soars spikes ups accumulates balloons builds burgeons enlarges escalates expands grows increases intensifies mushrooms picks up snowballs swells waxes arranges arrays disposesdraws upmarshals organizes ranges regulates straightens (up)tidies aligns lines lines up queues classifies codifies methodizes systematizes systemizes adjusts fixes grooms makes up spruces (up)unscrambles inflates order orderliness method pattern plan system get up rise stand (up)uprise arise ascend lift mount soar spike up accumulate balloon build burgeon enlarge escalate expand grow increase intensify mushroom pick up snowball swell wax arrange array dispose draw up marshal organize range regulate straighten (up)tidy align line line up queue classify codify methodize systematize systemize adjust fix groom make up spruce (up)unscramble inflate miss misapprehend misconceive misconstrue misinterpret misperceive misread mistake misunderstand

Tumbles in a Sentence

Share prices tumbled after the revelation about the company's impending failure.

to tumble a bed

the stock market tumbled

didn't tumble to the seriousness of the problem

cleaned a crazy tumble of buttons, hair bands, loose change, and old candy wrappers out from the couch cushions

took a little tumble on the ice

her office is a tumble of books and papers, but somehow she can find everything

the infant stood for a moment and then tumbled on the carpet

stock prices tumbled after the earnings report was released

tumbled all the clothes in her closet as she furiously searched for her favorite pair of jeans

all we need is one strong wind, and that old barn is going to tumble

I finally tumbled to the fact that I had been duped into getting involved in a phony investment scheme

while we were out on a drive in the country, we tumbled upon a farm stand selling the best peaches I've ever tasted

Word Forms & Grammar

tum·bled

tum·bling

tumble

tumbled

tumbles

tumbling

tumble (to)

tumble to

tumble (upon)

tumble upon

Words That Rhyme With Tumbles

umbles stumbles gimbals numbles fumbles rumbles crumbles thimbles jumbles bumbles grumbles humbles mumbles some bills umbels

Origin of Tumbles

Middle English, frequentative of tumben to dance, from Old English tumbian; akin to Old High German tūmōn to reel

First Known Use

14th centuryi

1634

Pronouncing Tumbles

The standard pronunciation of tumbles is /ˈtəm-bəl/, spoken in 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (təm).

Quick Answers About Tumbles

Is tumbles a verb or a noun?

Tumbles is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun.

What is another word for tumbles?

Close synonyms of tumbles are agglomerates, agglomerations and alphabet soups. See the full list of tumbles synonyms and antonyms.

What is the opposite of tumbles?

Words opposite in meaning to tumbles are orders, methods, patterns and plans.