tumble
verb (used without object)
to fall helplessly down, end over end, as by losing one's footing, support, or equilibrium; plunge headlong.
had tumbled
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past perfectof tumble.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Crude had tumbled Monday after the president backed away from a threatened strike on Iran that he said would have been "the biggest attack since World War II".
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
From a high of 11th in the world rankings he had tumbled to outside the top 150 just a month ago.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
It didn’t bottom until April 8, when it had tumbled 25.8% from its peak.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026
Oil prices, which had tumbled with the truce, jumped around eight percent Monday, with both key WTI and Brent contracts topping $100 a barrel.
From Barron's ● Apr. 13, 2026
It was as if he really had tumbled headfirst into a book of fairy stories, and all he wanted to do was share it with Blink.
From "The Marvels" by Brian Selznick
