stubby

adjective

stub·​by ˈstə-bē 

stubbier; stubbiest

1

: abounding with stubs

2

a

: resembling a stub : being short and thick

stubby fingers

b

: being short and thickset : squat

c

: being short, broad, or blunt (as from use or wear)

an old stubby pencil

Synonyms of stubby

• stout
• stumpy
• stocky
• sturdy
• plump
• squatty

Examples of stubby in a Sentence

hands with thick stubby fingers

My dog has a short stubby tail.

Recent Examples on the Web

With paper ballots and stubby pencils, the diners then voted for their favorites. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026

Gravity-1, a distinctively squat and stubby rocket, launched Tuesday night (July 21) from the deck of a ship stationed off the coast of Shanghai. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 22 July 2026

Turned into an elegant hors d’oeuvre with a wedge of Brie and a stubby cornichon. — Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 July 2026

The player uses a stubby wooden bat shaped like a small frying pan to try to scoop it back, but the geometry defeats her. — Mark Rice-Oxley, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stubby

• chubby
• cubby
• grubby
• hubby
• scrubby
• shrubby
• tubby

Kids Definition

stubby

adjective

stub·​by ˈstəb-ē 

: resembling a stub especially in shortness and broadness

stubby fingers