stubble

noun

stub·​ble ˈstə-bəl 

often attributive

1

: the basal part of herbaceous plants and especially cereal grasses remaining attached to the soil after harvest

2

: a rough surface or growth resembling stubble

especially : a short growth of beard

stubbled

ˈstə-bəld 

adjective

stubbly

ˈstə-b(ə-)lē 

adjective

Examples of stubble in a Sentence

He ran his hand over his stubble.

Recent Examples on the Web

The thousand-year-old, two-hundred-foot Douglas Fir stands in the midst of a vast clear-cut on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, a towering beanstalk surrounded by acres of cornfield stubble. —Brad Badelt, Outside, 11 Nov. 2025

The mixture was especially stuck to the hair from his eyebrows, eyelashes and three-day-old stubble, making its removal a long and painful process that involved Lorne Michaels calling in a plastic surgeon pal. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025

Fingers tracing down his cheek, taking in his rough stubble. —Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi’s environment minister, blamed the state government of the adjacent state, and showed videos of stubble burning allegedly orchestrated by their political rival Aam Aadmi Party. —Rajeev Tyagi, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English stuble, from Anglo-French estuble, from Latin stupula stalk, straw, alteration of stipula — more at stipule

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stubble

• stubble mulch

Rhymes for stubble

• bubble
• double
• rubble
• trouble
• redouble

Kids Definition

stubble

noun

stub·​ble ˈstəb-əl 

1

: the stem ends of herbs and especially cereal grasses remaining attached to the ground after harvest

2

: a rough surface or growth resembling stubble

stubbly

-(ə-)lē 

adjective