trip over your words

Why You Stumble Over Your Words

Want to sound composed during your next speech or presentation? Learn the simple fix for linguistic slip-ups

Ever know exactly what you want to say, but your words come out all garbled? 

This usually happens when you least expect it. It’s not like you suddenly forgot how to form a sentence—it’s more like a temporary system error in your control center. 

At the same time your brain is working out a whole series of different words and statements for you to say, it’s also trying to coordinate the movements of your mouth, tongue, lips, and focal folds, says Jonathan Preston, Ph.D., an assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders at Syracuse University. 

The problem: Sometimes your brain moves faster than your mouth. When you try to speed up your speech in order to keep pace, you end up tripping over your words, says Preston.

Your nerves make things worse. If you’re anxious about how you look or sound while speaking—especially if you’re in front of a lot of people—that’s one more bowling pin your brain has to juggle. This leads to even more linguistic slip-ups, Preston says. 

But you can put a stop to these occasional, ill-timed stumbles. It just takes a little practice. 

1. Slow down. The faster you talk, the more likely you are to make a flub, says Preston.

Focus on slowing your speaking pace. Imagine you’re reading a piece of text—the kind you might recite at a wedding or business presentation. 

Pause briefly, and think your entire sentence through. When you speak more deliberately, you keep your brain and mouth moving at the same tempo. 

As a bonus, this also helps you connect better with your audience. 

Researchers from the University of Michigan analyzed the phone calls of telemarketers and found that people who paused frequently during their pitch were more persuasive than callers who spoke uninterrupted. 

The researchers say people typically pause about five times a minute. This speech pattern sounds more believable to listeners than when you spit out words without any breaks.  

2. Speak clearly. Some Americans with serious stutters or pathological speaking problems overcome their difficulties by talking in British accents, or raising or lowering their voices, says Preston.

“When you speak in a way that’s out of the ordinary for you, you shift attention away from what you’re saying, and put it on how you’re saying it.” This change in focus leads to fewer tied tongues, he says. 

You don’t need to talk like you’re a character in a Guy Ritchie flick. Just clearly annunciate each word you say.  

Related: 7 Steps to Telling a Fantastic Story

Like speaking more slowly, precisely forming your words can keep your brain from running ahead of your mouth, Preston says. 

3. Remember, nobody cares. Of course you hear your own goofs, so you probably think everyone else spots them, too.

Relax. Occasional speech stumbles are super common and acceptable, says Preston. Since we all slip up, it’s likely the people around you don’t even notice, he says.

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Worries About Stumbling Over Your Words Or Being Inarticulate

Some people worry they'll stumble over their words or come across as inarticulate in their conversations, and be judged as nervous, awkward, or stupid. I'll share my thoughts on getting past this fear.

• Tripping over your words
• Not being able to remember a bigger word you wanted to use
• Reversing the starting letters of two words (e.g., "So I p ent to the w ark the other day...")
• Repeating a word or part of a sentence (e.g., "So I went, so I went to the park the other day...")
• Saying filler words like "uh" or "like" way too much for a sentence of two
• Not completing a thought and switching to another one
• Losing your train of thought entirely

One obvious cause of this problem is anxiety. Sometimes it's because you're generally anxious about social situations . It's also possible to get caught in a vicious cycle where you're nervous about not being able to speak well, which makes you more likely to stumble over your words, which makes you even more worried next time.

Some people with this fear struggled in school when they were younger. As adults they have insecurities and mental baggage about being "dumb", and are extra self-conscious about how they come across in conversations. They think if they get tongue tied for a second everyone will suddenly realize how dimwitted they are. They may be perfectly intelligent, but the images we form of ourselves in childhood based on a handful of negative experiences can be hard to shake, even when they're inaccurate.

What to do if you stumble over your words

Realize most people don't notice or care if you make minor verbal mistakes.

People stumble over their words in small ways all the time. Often the listener's mind filters it out and they don't notice. If they do catch it, they usually don't care. The average person doesn't expect their friends and co-workers to be great orators.

As an experiment, listen to some casual conversations. You'll hear people make more little mistakes than you realized. I'll also guess you don't harshly judge them for saying "Umm..." more than they could or starting a sentence over. Just knowing no one requires you to be perfectly fluent and eloquent can take a lot of the pressure off.

On a related note, almost no one cares if you can use a big vocabulary during run of the mill conversations. If you want to use a longer word and it's not popping into your head, no one will mind if you use a simpler alternative. If anything, speaking as simply as you need to in order to get your ideas across is preferrable. Trying to sound sophisticated can come across as if you're pretentious or trying too hard.

If you trip over your words a bit, keep going as if nothing happened

Since people generally don't notice or care about minor verbal stumbles, the best thing to do is keep speaking as if everything is fine. You can actually draw more attention to yourself if you stop and try to explain your stumbles than if you ignore them.

If you do address your verbal flub, do it in a quick, joking manner, then move on

Sometimes you'll get tripped up over your words in a more obvious way, and here you can say something. But be quick. Acknowledge it, laugh it off, then keep speaking. For example you could quickly say, "Blagh! I can't talk", or shake your head to yourself, then continue with your sentence where you left off. Like with many small social errors, if you're comfortable with your stumble and act as if it's no big deal, other people will pick up on that energy and go along with it. If you're stumbling often over the course of a longer conversation, don't keep bringing it up, even if you're commenting on it in the "right" way. Carry on as though you're speaking fluently.

Try purposely stumbling or making similar mistakes

If you want to do this, it can help you take charge of your worry, and experience firsthand that small stumbles are no big deal. Rather than living in fear that you'll talk in a slightly bumbling, incoherent way, do it on purpose and see that no one cares. Go to a store and ask a clerk a question, with a bunch of "likes" thrown in. Talk to a colleague and pretend to have a brain fart in the middle of a sentence. Odds are no one will bat an eye.

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Preventing future stumbles

I've made my case why you shouldn't stress over the occasional small stumble, but if you want to try to prevent them here are some things you can do:

Do what you can to lower your anxiety

Some verbal stumbles come from nerves. Anxiety scrambles your ability to think, sometimes just a little, at other times to the point of shutting your brain down. It can also change your breathing patterns and make your muscles more tense, which may interfere with your ability to get your words out.

Obviously reducing your anxiety can be easier said than done, and I can't cover every strategy in this short article. There's a whole section of this site that goes into it though. Long-term you can get a handle on your nerves by doing things like getting more practice at the situations that scare you, and learning how to deal with the counterproductive thinking that fuels your fears (e.g., believing most people are judgmental and want to pick apart your pronunciation). You could process the painful childhood memories at the heart of your insecurites about looking dumb. Short-term even taking some deep, slow belly breaths , and making a point to untense all your muscles, can take your nervousness down a notch or two.

Slow down your speech

• Before you start speaking, take a moment to think about what you want to say and then stick to it, rather than trying to put your thoughts together on the fly. It may feel like you're taking an endless awkward pause, but it won't seem that long to everyone else.
• While you're speaking, focus on going a bit slower than feels natural. Again, it can feel like you're talking at a crawl, but no one will perceive it that way. If anything, speaking slowly can make you sound more self-assured and composed.
• After each sentence, pause for a beat, and take a breath if you need to, instead of jumping right into the next one.

One reason people rush is they're nervous, and they're either deliberately talking quickly so they can get it over with, or have some overall jittery energy and don't realize it's making them speed up. Like I said, even taking a few slow, calming breaths and letting go of your muscle tension can make a difference.

• Hold up your hand in an "I'm not finished" gesture
• If someone tries to cut in, say, "I'm not done yet"
• Raise your voice to overpower someone who's trying to interrupt

Don't try to pre-plan and memorize word for word the things you want to say

If you often get asked the same questions in your daily conversations it can be useful, and save you some mental energy, to have a prepared response (e.g., a little spiel about what you do for work). However, your reply should be a rough idea of what you want to cover, which you phrase slightly differently each time. If you try to memorize a canned answer word for word you can be more likely to stumble and get tongue tied. Rather than improvising, your brain goes into this regurgitation / performance mode, where if you get a couple of early words wrong you're likelier to get flustered and not be able to string together the rest of what you planned to say.

If you're really, really having trouble expressing yourself, consider seeing a speech language pathologist

Most small verbal stumbles are due to nerves and self-consciousness, but if you find that even after working on it you still struggle to speak as fluently as the next person, there might be something else going on. There are conditions that can make it more difficult for people to express themselves verbally. A speech therapist / speech language pathologist can help get to the bottom of that.

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About the author

I'm Chris Macleod. I've been writing about social skills for fifteen years. I was shy, awkward, and lonely until my mid-twenties and created this site to be the kind of guide I wish I'd had at the time.

I'm trained as a counselor. I have a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, and a B.A. in Psychology.

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Social Anxiety

How to Stop Stumbling Over Your Words: Tips For Managing Social Anxiety

If you’re at a loss for words and feel like you forgot how to speak, here are 6 ways to stop stumbling over words

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Do you find yourself stumbling over words because of your social anxiety?

Maybe you recently had a moment, or let’s be honest, a million moments, when you just stumbled over your words, mumbled them upside down, and cringed at how inarticulate you can be.

You even went so far as to call yourself “stupid”…tsk.

Part of the reason why I’ve been stumbling over words ( other than social anxiety ) for most of my life is that I’m a polyglot.

And as such, I tend to stumble over words oh-a-plenty-of-times , and if it happens frequently enough during a week, my social anxiety kicks into high gear.

It’s like the chicken and the egg. I am still trying to figure out which one fuels which.

And then it’s much more challenging to tone it down than it is to keep it in check.

I’m talking total confidence shutdown.

• Inferiority complex bangs on the door
• Impostor syndrome clocks in
• Negative inner talk takes over

Below is an example of a time when I wished someone would pull me away from the interaction because I couldn’t stop stumbling over words.

My manager called up a team meeting to let us know that college students were coming to the office to learn more about what it’s like to, you know, work. It was a cooperation between our company and the local university.

Before I even had a chance to hide in the corner, my manager volunteered me as a “mentor” for a student.  Great.

Don’t get me wrong. I have no qualms about participating in knowledge transfers ( although I prefer when I’m the one getting the knowledge ), but it just so happened that I was bored at work and didn’t have much to showcase.

Hey, look at me. I’m getting paid to be bored.

This made the task at hand much more difficult.

Imagine trying to come up with what you’ve worked on in the past week when all you did was Instagram ( and no, that’s NOT part of your job description ).

It was like that.

So, there I was, staring at a first-generation college student named Briana. She was going to shadow me, and let me tell you; she was bright, perky, and wide-eyed, ready to learn about the IT department, corporate America, and what it takes to get your foot in the door.

As I sat there explaining to her what I do and what my current project was all about, I couldn’t help but lose control of my English. I had to defend my position and come up with reasons why I was employed.

Of course, that triggered my social anxiety and made me stumble over my words.

And I mean, how did I even graduate High School stumbling over words like that ?!

I could see myself from her perspective, and it made me uncomfortable. As I  felt her judging me, I knew there was no way I could bring myself to sound coherent. 

I babbled on and tried to convey my role as best I could, but my inner talk grew louder an d louder as the minutes passed.

It made me feel like I didn’t know what I was doing.

It made me insecure about my communication skills, reigniting my impostor syndrome and activating my negative inner critic.

When you’re stumbling over words, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing you’re not good enough and don’t know enough that you’ll never make it through.

I imagined her thinking:

• How can she possibly oversee  this project if she can’t explain it to me?
• I could do this  better than her!
• Are they paying  her for this?!
• Why is she sweating?  The AC is definitely on high here.

It made me feel small. And I hate feeling small.

But ultimately, there were two ways I could have reacted to my reaction.

One way was to commiserate for days on end about failing at life, and the other was to give me a break.

I decided not to think about how I could have portrayed myself better because I wanted to avoid the rabbit hole of why I couldn’t explain myself adequately ( save the sad excuses for another time ).

I didn’t allow myself to think that a more significant problem was at stake.

Hypochondriac anyone?

My inner talk took a backseat as I decompressed and hugged myself for not having a good day. I told myself I wouldn’t stumble over words the next time.

If you are at a loss for words or cannot express yourself the way a British playwright would ( we can always dream ), cut yourself some slack.

Don’t overwork your brain because it’s already overworked.

Not only are you doing yourself more harm by forcing your brain, but you’re inviting a slew of other issues through the door, i.e.,  insecurities that are better off hiding in the darkest corners of your mind.

We all have those moments where we ramble and make a fool of ourselves – and while that’s tough for anyone, it might be more challenging for introverts because most of us pride ourselves on being methodical and careful with our words.

This is the extrovert equivalent of getting mad-ass drunk at a party and leaving behind a trail of unsavoury pictures for the world to see .

The same feeling, I imagine…

But fear not, you can always redeem yourself, and I’ll tell you how.

Free Social Anxiety Action Plan

This action plan was my starting point. It helped me manage my social anxiety step by step, and I hope it can do the same for you!

Here’s how to stop stumbling over words if you have social anxiety:

1. slow down.

If I don’t make it a point to speak slowly, I get agitated and jump from one explanation to the next without any correlation.

Speaking fast derails me and makes me forget what I want to say.

But that’s not even the worst of it…it makes me look incompetent,  among other things .

Here are three reasons you’ll benefit from slowing down when you speak:

1. your nervousness will take a hike..

Adrenaline is best friends with stress, which means that the more stressed you are ( especially after a few stumbles ), the more adrenaline spikes.

That’s correlated with an increased heart rate.

And if you’d be so kind as to complete this sentence, an increased heart rate means increased ___.

Not only will you feel more nervous when you’re speaking, but you’ll also look like you are. Thus, you’ll be forever stuck in a vicious circle.

2. You’ll be in more control.

By speaking slowly, you’re giving yourself extra time to dig into that impressive repertoire of words you know.

This will allow you to fetch the best word for the situation and steer the speech in a different direction should you realize that it needs to catch up with your audience.

You can think of it as slowing downtime, which gives you the upper hand in analysing the person in front of you and their reaction to your words.

3. You’ll gain credibility and authority.

Think about your favourite orators. How fast/slow do they tend to speak? Speaking slowly shows credibility and authority because you’re taking time at the table.

It’s also a sign of confidence and expertise, both characteristics you want to have!

2. Organize your thoughts

Before you meet with someone, jot down the sequence of your ideas so you can have a rough outline of how you’ll approach the discussion/conversation.

This usually works better when you know who you’re meeting when you’re meeting and the agenda/topic of conversation.

Impromptu conversations are much harder to organize but possible.

I’ve  written about this before , but I tend to role-play conversations with people beforehand to arm myself with present knowledge. If I know how to approach someone, say the college student who shadowed me, I’ll be better equipped with the right words.

I wouldn’t have floundered so severely if I had a plan, but I chose to speak like it’s the wild west.

3. Take your time

Take your time to ensure you’re not missing anything crucial – don’t feel rushed to get to the end.

This is related to #1, but more in the sense of allowing yourself to pause between sentences, allowing the silence to work to your advantage.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF SILENCE.

If there’s one thing you should learn to do, especially if you have social anxiety, it’s learning to love the silence. Don’t try to fill the silent space with useless words. It will just make it worse because you’re going to panic about it.

Give yourself enough time to 1. Speak slowly, and 2. Organize your thoughts.

See how they are all related but different in their way?

4. Ask questions

What part of this makes sense? What doesn’t make sense? Did I miss the point?

You can engage the other person to ensure they follow your train of thought.

If you did #1, #2, and #3, the chances are that they understand you just fine! But just in case you missed a few steps or saw them squint their eye strangely, please stop and ask questions to make sure that what you’re saying is clicking.

The last thing you need/want is validation that you’re not making sense.

So don’t let it get that far. Intervene occasionally to check in on them .

5. Start over

Don’t be scared to stop, take a breather, and restart.

We know it works for computers; let’s assume it works for humans too.

Just let the other person know you’re restarting. Being funny always resets the mood, so you can say something like: “ I know this probably makes no sense to you – I apologize. I’ve been talking too much to a baby these past few days! Let me reset. “

Being honest and vulnerable are probably the most powerful weapons to combat social anxiety, especially when words escape you and you feel naked and afraid.

6. Repeat these words: It’s just a phase I’m in

The truth is that it’s cyclical. Maybe you had a rough night, didn’t sleep, and now your fatigue is playing games with you. Perhaps you’re more stressed out than usual, so you’re on edge trying to keep a cool head.

Whatever the case, you’re in a “ stumbling over words ” phase.  I even made a video while I was in this phase . It sucks, and sometimes it lasts longer than I’d like it to.

But even then, I repeat to myself that it’s just a phase I’m in, and my brain will rectify itself. It might feel like it won’t, but trust me, your brain will figure it out.

Also, one crucial point to remember for all this to work is to let go of any expectations of yourself.

If you plan to bring out a whole dictionary to impress someone, no matter how much you try to complete these steps, you’ll need to remember how to speak because you’re putting too much pressure on yourself.

Always remember that the simpler the words are, the more impact you can make.

And if you have social anxiety, your main priority will always be to stay away from the vicious circle of thoughts, and the best way to make that happen is not to have high expectations.

Because the moment you fail to meet them, the inner talk begins, and then everything else unravels right in front of you.

I’ll leave you with this. If you realize what’s happening, especially at the moment itself, and take steps to recalibrate, don’t be scared to speak Chinese sometimes.

And if Social Anxiety has you stumbling over words, revert to these six things, and you won’t forget how to speak anymore.

I walk you through my experience with stumbling over words, especially while trying to mentor a student at work. 

Here are the 6 steps to prevent your brain from freezing up:

• Organize your thoughts
• Take your time
• Ask questions
• Repeat these words

Go back up and read why each of those is essential in reducing how often you find yourself stumbling over words.

I went from being scared to ask a question out loud to hosting summits online. I love coffee, french crepes, and working from home. My mission? Help others build their social confidence to make friends, have conversations, and be comfortable around people!

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5 quick ways to manage social anxiety guide

Why Am I Suddenly Mispronouncing Words?

Speaking – a skill that allows us to communicate our thoughts, needs, and feelings with those around us – is an ability that can be easily taken for granted. But imagine you suddenly lose the ability to get your words out, or the ability to make the right sounds required for speaking?

In some cases problems related to speech that appear to come on suddenly are temporary. For others, sudden onset speech problems can have a long-term effect. It is important to identify the underlying cause of the disrupted speech skills, as in some cases this can be a sign of a serious medical condition. If you want to learn more about how speech therapy can help to strengthen speech and language skills and optimize your ability to communicate, get started by scheduling your free introductory call today! 

Why am I Suddenly Stumbling over my Words? 

There are several things that can cause you to have trouble getting your words out. Some of these causes are easily addressed or treated, and so the effects on speech are temporary. In other cases, the cause is more serious and can result in long-term effects on communication skills. 

Fatigue, Stress or Anxiety 

Sometimes, feeling extreme stress or fatigue can make thinking of the right words incredibly difficult. For people who are worried about feeling shame or embarrassment, these problems may be exacerbated. Sometimes social anxiety can result in a dry mouth and stumbling over your words when speaking with other people causing you to struggle to talk or freeze up. 

Simply being tired or fatigued can make it hard to think of the right words. And when you’re worried about being judged by others or feel embarrassed, you may experience difficulty in getting your words out.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Slurred speech is a well-known side effect of alcohol consumption. Alcohol slows down the communication between the brain and the body and the more you drink, the more intense and longer these effects will last. 

Migraine Headache

Sometimes a severe migraine headache is responsible for messing with your words. This can be referred to as “transient aphasia” as the condition subsides as the migraine goes away. 

Migraine headaches can be incredibly painful and in some cases can cause changes to the senses as well. As many as 25% of people who experience migraines have symptoms leading up to the onset of the migraine such as blind spots or flashing lights. It is also common to experience things such as dizziness, numbness, feeling confused or disoriented and even difficulty speaking.

In most cases, the exact cause of the migraine isn’t easily identified. Some preventive measures can be effective such as a well-balanced diet, proper hydration, and certain vitamins and supplements. Over-the-counter painkillers are also very effective at alleviating the pain and discomfort that comes with migraine headaches. 

Neurological Disorders

There are some diseases and disorders of the brain that can also affect one’s ability to speak. Multiple Sclerosis affects how the brain sends information between the brain cells and the rest of the body. This disease (also referred to as MS) causes lesions to develop on the parts of the brain that are responsible for speech, resulting in difficulties ranging from mild to significant. “Scanning speech” can be a common pattern for those affected by MS which means that there may be extra long pauses between each word or syllable. Multiple sclerosis can also affect the strength and ability to control the muscles in the mouth and cheeks that are needed for speech production. Learn more about how MS can affect speech and how speech therapy can help by scheduling your free introductory call today! 

Sometimes sudden changes in speech abilities are caused by a traumatic brain injury or tumor on the part of the brain that manages language and speech production. Some of the other most common signs of brain cancer are frequent headaches, seizures, changes to memory or personality, unexplained nausea, chronic sleepiness, and difficulty accomplishing everyday tasks. 

Often speech abilities are affected by epilepsy and certain types of seizures. At times a seizure can make the person appear to be ‘with it’ but in fact, they are unaware of what is happening in their surroundings. A person experiencing a seizure may make strange noises or be completely unable to speak. In some cases, a seizure may be caused by a stroke or traumatic brain injury that will affect the areas of the brain responsible for language.  

Difficulty talking, alongside a numb or droopy face and weakness in one side of the body, are some of the most common signs of a stroke. A stroke is caused by a blood clot located in the brain that has cut off the blood supply to that area. This can quickly result in slurred speech, speech that is difficult to understand, or loss of the ability to speak at all. Sometimes a stroke can result in permanent problems related to speech and language called aphasia. 

If you or someone you love is showing signs of a stroke, it is important to call 9-1-1 right away so that treatment can happen as soon as possible. A stroke is an emergency and you should never try to wait or get to the hospital on your own. 

How Can Speech Therapy Help Me Stop Mispronouncing Words?

Speech therapy is one of the most beneficial and valuable resources for anyone who is struggling with their speech, language, or communication skills. When trying to help someone who is suddenly mispronouncing words, the speech-language pathologist will need to first need to identify the cause of these changes. If the difficulties with speaking are the result of a neurological disorder or traumatic brain injury, the speech therapist will be able to create a custom treatment plan to support the individual’s recovery. When well-established skills are lost suddenly, it is important to treat this situation carefully and seriously as this can sometimes be a sign of a medical emergency. If you are suddenly struggling to speak and aren’t sure why, the first step is to visit your healthcare provider right away to rule out a possible stroke or brain injury. 

An experienced speech and language pathologist can be the best resource when it comes to helping someone who is struggling with their communication skills as the result of brain disease or a disorder. You can learn more about how speech therapy can help recover lost skills and improve communication by scheduling your free introductory call today! 

Migraine Aphasia: Why Your Words Get Jumbled

One of the most noticeable migraine symptoms is what we call the migraine babble: The words just don't come out the way you intended. Migraine speech problems can be attributed to migraine aura.

Doctors refer to this symptom as "transient aphasia," a temporary communication disorder characterized by word-finding difficulty.

Aphasia impairs one's ability to process language, both in written and spoken words. People with transient aphasia have trouble putting words together to speak or write, understanding what others are saying, and comprehending what they read. When they try to speak, words come out garbled and unintelligible.

Some people with migraine aphasia sound like they've lost their marbles or had too much to drink. Not so.

What Causes Transient Aphasia?

Aphasia usually results from damage to the left hemisphere of the brain. Many stroke victims suffer aphasia causing partial or complete loss of speech and difficulty with word-finding. Aphasia is the reason Bruce Willis had to step back from his career, and he is not the only celebrity to experience transient aphasia .

Certain types of migraine — specifically migraine with aura — can involve aphasia symptoms. Seizures or transient ischemic attacks (TIA) can also cause temporary aphasia .

An Expert Explains Migraine Aura From Visual Phenomena to Hand Tingling

The 4 Stages of Migraine: Why You Feel Strange Before and After an Attack

‘I Still Struggle With My Own Internalized Ableism’

Aphasia Is a Migraine Symptom That Affects Language

Why does it happen?  Amaal Starling MD, neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, explained that when someone is having a migraine attack:

• They often feel like they aren't thinking clearly. There's some slowing of cognition .
• Other people may experience speech symptoms, a symptom called  aphasia : difficulty understanding language or expressing words.
• Some people may have dysarthria: slurred, garbled speech.

Never ignore migraine speech problems. If you're experiencing speech issues or trouble word-finding for the first time, contact a doctor or headache specialist to make sure it's not related to a more serious issue , such as a stroke.

If your friends tell you that you're talking gibberish, or if you find you can't get the words out, it could very well be a migraine symptom , regardless of whether you're having head pain at that time.

How the Community Feels About Aphasia During Migraine Attacks

We asked our community how they feel about the inability to express themselves during a migraine attack. Here's what they had to say:

It’s a horrible feeling wanting to speak and the words don’t come or they’re all slurred. — Lauren W.

Yes, very scary. I speak two languages and during an attack I cannot put words together. I usually point to things to communicate like a cavewoman! — Sandra R.

I often slur. I know what I’m trying to say, but I can’t get it out. — Dawn R.

Additionally, check out Julie H.'s Migraine Journey , where she describes experiencing transient aphasia while reading to her daughter.

What Type of Migraine Affects Speech?

Garbled speech can be part of the aura phase of migraine for some people. Aura symptoms happen before or during the headache phase of migraine.

Andrew Charles, MD , director of the Goldberg Migraine Program and professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles, shared that "not everyone experiences the migraine aura phase ; aura affects approximately one-third of people with migraine. Aura symptoms typically last for several minutes for up to an hour and then resolve completely. Occasionally, they may last for more than an hour, and rarely may even last for days. An aura may affect the visual, sensory, language, and/or motor systems."

Dr. Starling explained to Migraine Again that the babble during the migraine aura phase can take different forms. For some, their cognition slows, and that causes them to trip over their words. Others, she says, experience speech symptoms like aphasia and dysarthria (slurred, garbled speech).

Hemiplegic Migraine 

Hemiplegic migraine (a rare but severe subtype of migraine with aura) causes temporary paralysis — sometimes lasting several days — on one side of the body prior to or during a headache. Aura symptoms such as vertigo , a pricking or stabbing sensation, and problems seeing, speaking, or swallowing may begin prior to the headache pain and usually stop shortly thereafter.

The migraine speech problems that occur during hemiplegic migraine attacks sound like babble, which doctors call transient aphasia. Read about a woman's journey with hemiplegic migraine here .

Migraine With Brainstem Aura 

Dysarthria is garbled or slurred speech. Attacks that cause aura with dysarthria are often diagnosed as migraine with brainstem aura (formerly basilar-type migraine).

Dr. Charles shared with Migraine Again that migraine with brainstem aura is believed to originate in the base of the brain, which is referred to as the brainstem. This can also result in:

• Dizziness (and vertigo )
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Back and forth movements of the eyes (nystagmus)
• Significant incoordination that is not associated with weakness (ataxia)

When to See a Doctor

Speech difficulties can be a symptom of any of these three migraine subtypes (migraine with aura, hemiplegic migraine, or migraine with brainstem aura.) It is an urgent and significant symptom if it has not already been diagnosed. If your speech is ever garbled, discuss it with your doctor to rule out any other neurological causes and to better diagnose your migraine type .

Aside from migraine, temporary aphasia can also be due to seizures or a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA occurs when blood flow is temporarily blocked to an area of the brain. People who've had a TIA are at an increased risk of having a stroke in the near future.

Transient Aphasia Is Frustrating, but It's Not Your Fault

Difficulty finding the right word can be one of the more scary, embarrassing, and frustrating migraine symptoms. Not to mention that it usually comes with blinding pain,  an upset stomach , possible visual aura symptoms, and a host of other debilitating symptoms. Don't forget that it's not your fault and try to give yourself some grace.

Thankfully, in most cases, the migraine babble is not a dangerous symptom. Just be sure to see a doctor if it's the first time you're experiencing aphasia symptoms.

Holly Gerring-Leone contributed to this article.

Paula Dumas

Paula Dumas is the founder of Migraine Again. She is a producer and cohost of the Migraine World Summit, president of the World Health Education Foundation, and a member of the International Headache Society Global Patient Advocacy Committee.

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How To Avoid Stumbling Over Your Words

We, like, communicate, um, all the time. It’s a part of, er, life. Unfortunately, when we, um, are, like, put on the spot we, uh, tend to stumble over our, uh, words.

The previous sentences don’t read easily, but it does represent how we speak. When we add extra words, it breaks up a presentation and makes us sound bad. Do you add ums, ers, ahs, and likes when you speak?

The ums, ers, ahs, and likes can destroy our presence and hurt our credibility. A smooth speech will speak of our self confidence, image, credibility, and reputation. All things where we want to shine.

Most of us are unaware that we do this. These stumbles in our speech are called disfluencies and they tend to hurt our credibility and weaken our communication skills. Adding the ums, ers, ahs, and likes between words allows our brain to process what we want to say. Typically these extra sounds come from our subconscious because we are scared of silence.

Give yourself a topic or try to tell a story in a minute. Don’t give it much thought, just do it. Record yourself. Do you like the way you sound? Do you add disfluencies to your speech? Listen to others and you’ll notice that almost everyone stumbles over their words once in awhile.

Disfluencies like the ums, ers, ahs, uhs, and likes are easy to fix if you are aware of them and focus on fixing them. Try to speak fluently. Don’t be afraid to pause for a second to collect your thoughts and process your next sentence. Watch good public speakers – they do this all the time. You will also be less likely to add disfluencies if you are confident about your subject matter. You can learn more ways to improve your public speaking on JobMonkey.

Work on removing disfluencies from your speech before you head to your next job interview. It may be the difference between nailing the job interview or not.

Try to avoid stumbling over your words. Once your public speaking skills are dialed in, then head over to the job board to find your next gig.

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How to Make a Conversation Not Awkward

Do you not know what to say when a conversation gets awkward or tense? Do you wish you knew how to join a conversation without making it awkward? When awkward tension creeps into a conversation, it can make it hard to talk to people, connect, and make friends.

In this article, you will learn strategies to help your conversations flow more smoothly and ways to make a quick recovery after an awkward moment.

If awkwardness makes a regular appearance in your social life, you might often feel the urge to run and hide rather than endure the painful silences and weird vibes that you experience in conversations. Your conversations will feel less forced , more natural, and less awkward with these skills and strategies.

1. Focus on being friendly

Smarts, looks, and swag can make people jealous, insecure, or spark competition, but being friendly puts people at ease. When people feel at ease, they may be more forgiving of mistakes and awkwardness. Giving compliments, being positive or helpful towards another person, and using humor are all great ways to get people to open up and relax around you. [ 1 ] Being friendly and kind can also help to soften the blow and reduce discomfort during difficult conversations, making them less awkward.

2. Speak up early

If you’ve ever joined a group or class and waited too long to speak, you know it doesn’t get any easier or less awkward when you wait. Being silent for too long makes things awkward, creates tension, and makes people unsure of how to interact with you. [ 1 ] Make a point to introduce yourself early, shake hands with people, and don’t wait to join a group conversation .

3. Clarify when needed

If you tend to rush your words or speak too fast when you are nervous, you might trip on your words or speak in ways that are hard to understand. When others look confused, or you think you’ve been misunderstood, don’t ignore these social cues. Instead, get ahead of the problem by clarifying what you meant or intended to say. If you have trouble speaking fluently , try to slow down, pause, and clarify when you don’t feel like you are being clear.

4. Keep people talking

Because most awkwardness stems from being self-conscious or too focused on yourself, getting other people talking can take pressure off and help you feel more comfortable. [ 1 ] Most people like talking about themselves and enjoy the attention of a good listener. Research supports this, showing that people who are curious about others and ask more questions tend to be more well-liked than those who don’t ask questions. [ 2 ]

5. Use silence as punctuation

People who feel awkward tend to avoid silence like the plague, but this can make things more awkward and forced by rushing the conversation and making you more likely to trip over your words. With practice, you can become more comfortable with silence and even learn how to use it to become a clearer, more persuasive speaker. To practice, try using silence to emphasize something you said or to invite others into the conversation.

6. Find a suitable topic

Sometimes, the reason a conversation feels awkward is that you haven’t found the right topic. [ 3 ] The best topics for conversation are ones that you and the other person have a common interest in, which will often lead to more natural conversations. [ 1 ] Watch for subtle cues that signal they are interested in a topic, like noticing when they lean in, use their hands more, make eye contact, or seem eager to speak.

7. Increase your range of expression

When you aren’t expressive enough , this can actually make things more awkward by making it harder for others to read them, which can cause people to feel less comfortable and relaxed. People rely on these nonverbal cues to understand what you mean when you speak, so being expressive is the key to being understood. If you are in an awkward text conversation, sometimes a picture, meme, emoji, or GIF can do the trick, while also adding humor to the exchange.

8. Don’t force the conversation

There is nothing more awkward than overstaying your welcome or trying desperately to revive a conversation when the other person no longer feels like talking. Getting better at reading social cues can help you understand when it’s time to end a conversation before things get too awkward. [ 4 ] For example, notice if someone seems busy, distracted, or checks their phone a lot, and consider saying, “I’ll let you go” or, “Let’s chat about this later.”

9. Wait out awkward pauses

Sometimes, conversations feel awkward because you feel obligated to fill in every silence or awkward pause. Sometimes, getting out of the awkward zone is as easy as waiting a few seconds to see where a conversation goes. When you wait before automatically filling in the spaces, other people will often jump in to speak. Often, getting through these initial awkward moments will lead to more natural and enjoyable conversations in the future. [ 1 ]

10. Acknowledge the elephant in the room

When there’s an awkward tension, sometimes it’s because there’s something obvious going on that no one is acknowledging. It might be really bad food at a restaurant or someone screaming in the background during a work meeting or first date. Using humor to address the elephant in the room can make things less awkward for everyone while also lightening the mood.

11. Acknowledge the awkwardness

An awkward moment does not have to mean the death of a conversation, first date, or your reputation. If you know what to say when a conversation gets awkward, sometimes it’s OK to play the awkward card and just call it out. This can relieve tension, lighten the mood, and help you just move on instead of getting stuck. [ 1 ] You could just say, “This is awkward, let’s restart…” on a first date or embrace it by saying, “Yeah I’m a little awkward.”

12. Stay in the moment

Rehearsing conversations and replaying awkward bloopers or imagining them in the future can worsen anxiety and awkwardness by keeping you in the past or the future. Staying fully focused on the moment can help you reduce your anxiety and interact in more normal and natural ways. [ 5 ] Use mindfulness skills to help you stay in the moment by focusing on your surroundings, the other person, or use one of your 5 senses to ground you.

13. Avoid getting too serious

Conversations can feel awkward when they get too serious, deep, or sensitive too quickly. If you are talking with strangers, acquaintances at work, or people you don’t know well, it’s a good idea to avoid controversial topics. Controversial topics go against social norms, which is one of the main causes of socially awkward or uncomfortable moments. [ 1 ]

Here are some topics to avoid discussing with people you don’t know well:

• Politics, religion, sex, or other controversial topics
• Oversharing about your personal life or problems
• Topics that spark sadness, anger, or other difficult emotions

Final thoughts

Awkwardness can be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to be the death of your social life. In fact, sometimes it’s possible to make a recovery from an awkward exchange by making a joke, changing the topic, or just waiting out the awkward silence. Working through these moments will make it easier to have conversations that feel enjoyable and natural instead of awkward and uncomfortable.

Common questions about awkward conversations

What causes awkwardness.

Awkwardness is often caused by feeling self-conscious, nervous, or socially anxious. These feelings cause you to feel less confident, more pressured, and more likely to notice any small mistake or weird moment, which often makes you feel and act more awkwardly. [ 1 ]

Why are my conversations so awkward?

If your conversations feel awkward, it might be because of the things you say or do when you feel nervous. For example, rushing to fill silences or trying too hard to be liked can make your conversations feel more forced and awkward.

How do you break an awkward silence in text?

Breaking an awkward silence via text can be as simple as sending a question mark, a “…” or asking, “Everything ok?” when you don’t get a reply. Sometimes, sending an emoji, meme, or GIF can be a great way to respond to awkward text silences without making things too serious.

Is awkward silence a bad sign?

Awkward silences can feel like a bad thing because they tend to be uncomfortable, but often they are just a sign that you and another person are getting to know each other. Making it through these awkward moments often leads to more natural and easy conversations in the future.

What do you say when a conversation gets awkward?

• Clegg, J. W. (2007). An inquiry into social awkwardness . Clark University .
• Huang, K., Yeomans, M., Brooks, A. W., Minson, J., & Gino, F. (2017). It doesn’t hurt to ask: Question-asking increases liking . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113 (3), 430–452.
• Ogawa, H., & Maes, P. (2020). Smartwatch-based topic suggestions to enrich casual conversations in awkward encounters. Proceedings of the 2020 International Symposium on Wearable Computers, 68-72.
• Society for Personality and Social Psychology. (2019). Bridging the ‘liking-gap,’ researchers discuss awkwardness of conversations . Retrieved May 15, 2021, from ScienceDaily.
• Rasmussen, M. K., & Pidgeon, A. M. (2011). The direct and indirect benefits of dispositional mindfulness on self-esteem and social anxiety. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 24 (2), 227-233.

Hailey Shafir is a licensed mental health counselor, licensed addiction specialist, and clinical supervisor working out of Raleigh, NC. She has a Masters in Counseling from NC State University, and has extensive professional experience in counseling, program development, and clinical supervision. Read more .

How To Keep A Conversation Going (With Examples)

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210 Questions to Ask Friends (For All Situations)

Don’t Know What to Say? How to Know What to Talk About

How To Talk To Strangers (Without Being Awkward)

How To Be More Talkative (If You’re Not a Big Talker)

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23 Tips to Bond With Someone (And Form a Deep Connection)

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Why Do I Talk So Fast?

Do you find yourself speaking at a mile a minute? Here’s why…

Do you think you talk too fast? This is a more common worry for people than you might think. Usually, talking too fast is a sign or nervousness or anxiety but there are other causes.  

Nervous Chat

You might have noticed you pick up the pace when having to talk in front of others. For example, have you ever been asked to stand up in front of the class and present a solo talk? Suddenly, your tongue feels as if it’s two sizes too big for your mouth and you stumble and trip over your words as quickly as you can to just get the moment over with. We’ve all been there.

You might find yourself talking too fast when you feel under pressure. Maybe the conversation around you has faltered and you’re the only one talking, making you feel vulnerable and anxious. This can be especially unsettling for introverts or people who are naturally shy. Don’t beat yourself up. We all get nervous from time to time, and we all have different reactions to this, from talking to fast or getting tongue-tied to sweating and shaking. This is entirely normal.

• When you notice yourself speaking too fast, take a pause and inhale. Focus on slowing your breathing and your words. Listen to yourself as if you were listening to someone else to judge your pace.
• Carry a bottle of water with you and take a sip every so often to create natural pauses in your speech. This is an especially good tip for situations where you need to speak in front of others at school, college, university or work.

Think Fast, Talk Fast

Some people talk fast because they’re trying to keep up with the racing thoughts in their mind. They might speak before they think, saying exactly what’s on their mind without pondering it over or filtering it first. 

Sometimes, people talk fast because they needed to when they were younger – maybe to make their voice heard above other siblings.

• Ask friends and family to let you know if you’re speaking too fast. This can be a good help if talking quickly is a habit of yours, especially if you don’t tend to notice when you’re doing it.
• Imagine your words are syrup, slowly oozing from a jar. Try to pace your speech as if it were syrup to s-l-o-w it down.

By being more aware of your pace, you’ll soon train yourself to slow down your speech. This will help you feel more confident and make your speech more easily understood by others. If you need more help with dealing with anxieties, click here .

Related Posts

Synonyms of trip

• as in expedition
• as in mistake
• as in to jog
• as in to fall
• as in to hop
• as in to travel
• as in to stumble
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Thesaurus Definition of trip

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• peregrination
• commutation
• misunderstanding
• miscalculation
• misinterpretation
• misjudgment
• misconception
• misstatement
• misconstruction
• miscomprehension
• misdescription
• misapprehension
• misimpression

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• correctness
• infallibility
• preciseness

Thesaurus Definition of trip  (Entry 2 of 2)

• step (along)
• hotfoot (it)
• slump (over)
• precipitate
• nose - dive
• free - fall
• road - trip
• peregrinate
• knock (about)
• perambulate
• drop the ball
• misunderstand
• miscalculate
• misconceive
• misconstrue
• misinterpret

Phrases Containing trip

• trip the light fantastic

Thesaurus Entries Near trip

Cite this entry.

“Trip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trip. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on trip

Nglish: Translation of trip for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of trip for Arabic Speakers

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verb as in learn

Strongest matches

Strong matches

Weak matches

• stumble upon

verb as in locate

• come across
• happen upon
• lay one's hands on

Discover More

Example sentences.

If Romney tries to run or tiptoe away, he will trip over his own flip-flops.

Why would you say to a woman in a wheelchair, “Do people trip over you?”

Dunton has been making an inspection trip over the system with a dozen or so of his New York cronies.

Heggie is almost the only actor we know who can trip over a door sill and keep his performance in two dimensions.

He made his first trip over the road as a wagoner in 1823, going clear through to Baltimore.

The next morning promised fair weather, and after some hesitation, we packed up for the trip over to North Park.

It was a hurried trip over rough streets to catch the train.

Related Words

Words related to trip over are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word trip over . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

verb as in discover, find out

verb as in find

• track/track down

On this page you'll find 63 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to trip over, such as: determine, gain, hear, see, understand, and ascertain.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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• French-English Vocabulary / Vocabulaire Français-Anglais

I stumble / trip over my words

• Thread starter Tabernero
• Start date Feb 14, 2012

Senior Member

• Feb 14, 2012

Hi all. How would you translate this? It means, more or less, that 'I' struggle to express myself clearly and coherently, and my thoughts end up coming out as word salad haha. Can you translate it quite literally? e.g. Je trébuche sur mes mots. What do you think? Thanks!  

Je bafouille (?)  

If I'm not mistaken, I'd translate that as to mumble. To trip over one's words doesn't necessarily mean that one is speaking quietly / inaudibly / unclearly. It means that you're speaking a load of nonsense, struggling to express your ideas. Your speech would be punctuated by: uhm... erm... ah... urh yeah... so like I was saying... where was I...  

Je bute sur les mots. Je peine à trouver mes mots / J'ai du mal à trouver mes mots. (the first one is more formal)  

to mumble would be in French "parler entre ses dents" Bafouiller is not used that way. You will say that when you want to say something but it come out as a nonsense.  

Keep-Your-Eyes-Wide-Open

• Feb 16, 2012

I'd suggest : Je cherche parfois mes mots.  

• Apr 15, 2014

10 ans plus tard: et pourquoi pas "se mélanger les pinceaux"?