stumble behind

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "stumble behind" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who is lagging or falling behind in a situation, often due to difficulty or lack of progress. Example: "As the race began, I could see that I was starting to stumble behind the other runners."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A best-selling book by a prominent economist, Lester Thurow, reflected a widely held view that the United States would continue to stumble behind a vigorous Japanese economy and a unified Europe.

The New York Times

As I stumble behind her, I feel a little like one of the blundering hysterics in "The Blair Witch Project," flashing my puny green beam over clumps of bark and grass, but Katie seems to have preternatural night vision.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Salmoni is in his 70's; his climb is light as a gazelle's while she stumbles behind, winded.

The New York Times - Books

By comparison, Chu says, America invented many of the world's green technologies, but has dramatically stumbled behind, as rival countries have caught up, and in some instances, surpassed our efforts.

TechCrunch

Rest assured we'll get there eventually, but over the next two decades, when some countries are bounding forwards into an exciting new age, Ireland will be limping and stumbling behind, and this ultimately is the biggest shame of all.

Vice

She lunged forward on her leash, Maldonado stumbling behind.

The New Yorker

Our 1 ½-year-old son, Apollo, stabbed his pudgy finger toward the mountains and blurted: "Waz zat?" The next thing I knew I was in the middle of a tropical rain forest dripping with vines and literally crawling with snakes, stumbling behind Monique, our indefatigable guide, in search of the animal responsible for the noise — the elusive Indri indri lemur.

The New York Times - Travel

But even magazines without a city in their name are made somewhere, after all — and the sly barmaids at the pub around the corner or the drunks stumbling behind the Dumpster out back may have as much to do with the sound and subject matter of the magazine as anything else.

The New York Times - Books

In an effort to tell their story, I'd stumbled behind the curtain that kept IWY in business: promote every heart wrenching tale of indoctrinated passionate volunteers in order to solicit donations, while keeping investigative media as far from the financial books and operational policies as possible.

Huffington Post

Fresh snow on the trails makes us stumble along behind the sleds, frequently plunging in up to our knees.

The Guardian

Neal Justin of Star Tribune commented on the author's neutrality in his writing style, "The next time network TV executives stumble into an ugly behind-the-scenes battle, they should consider hiring Bill Carter to negotiate.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "stumble behind", ensure the context clearly indicates a struggle or difficulty in keeping pace, rather than simply being located at the rear.

Common error

Avoid using "stumble behind" when a more neutral term like "follow" or "trail" would be more appropriate. The phrase implies difficulty, so it's unsuitable for situations where there's no inherent struggle.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "stumble behind" functions as a compound verb phrase, combining the action of "stumbling" (indicating difficulty or lack of coordination) with the directional preposition "behind" to describe the action of lagging or failing to keep pace. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "stumble behind" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that describes the act of lagging or failing to keep pace, often due to difficulty or struggle. Ludwig AI confirms the validity of this phrase. It appears most frequently in news and media contexts. While relatively uncommon, its usage is clear and consistent. When using this phrase, ensure that the context accurately reflects the struggle or difficulty in keeping pace, differentiating it from more neutral alternatives like "fall behind" or "lag behind".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fall behind

Indicates a more general failure to keep pace or maintain a leading position.

lag behind

Implies a slower pace or a delayed position compared to others.

trail behind

Suggests following at a distance, often with a connotation of being less advanced or less successful.

straggle behind

Emphasizes the scattered or disorganized nature of falling behind.

be left behind

Highlights the consequence of not keeping up, implying exclusion or abandonment.

bring up the rear

Describes being at the very back of a group or procession.

lose ground

Indicates a decline in position or progress relative to others.

fall short

Suggests a failure to reach a desired level or standard.

get bogged down

Describes being slowed or hindered, resulting in a loss of momentum.

get left in the dust

Conveys being far outpaced, implying a significant difference in speed or progress.

FAQs

How can I use "stumble behind" in a sentence?

You can use "stumble behind" to describe a situation where someone is struggling to keep up or is lagging due to difficulty, for example: "As the race began, I could see that I was starting to "stumble behind" the other runners".

What does it mean to "stumble behind"?

To "stumble behind" means to lag or fall behind, often due to a lack of progress or some kind of difficulty. It suggests a struggle to keep up with a pace or standard.

What are some alternatives to the phrase "stumble behind"?

Alternatives include "fall behind", "lag behind", or "trail behind" depending on the specific context.

Is it more appropriate to say "fall behind" or "stumble behind"?

"Fall behind" is more general and simply means to not keep pace. "Stumble behind" implies a difficulty or struggle in keeping up, so it's more appropriate when describing a situation with inherent challenges.