stump 1 of 2

verb

Definition of stumpnext
1
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily the seemingly endless parade finally ended, and the drummers and tuba players stumped wearily to their buses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dare
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat when my grandfather was a kid, he and his friends would stump one another to dive into the local swimming hole

Synonyms & Similar Words

stump

2 of 2

noun

as in residue

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stump
Verb
The story opens in the 1960s, during a long communication gap, as a group of MIT graduate students sets out to solve a proof that stumped the greatest minds of the previous generation (including Albert Einstein). — Alexandra Oliva, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 Tatis’ power outage at age 27 has stumped the baseball world. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Noun
Sooryavanshi missed his first two balls and got off the mark with a sketchy inside edge that pinged past his off stump. — ABC News, 4 July 2026 Kisatchie National Forest was selected as the release site because of its abundant underground shelters, like tree stump holes and gopher burrows, appropriate for the Louisiana pine snake’s needs. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stump
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stump
  1. shuffle
  2. dare
  3. residue
  4. stomp
  5. challenge
  6. refuse
  7. stumble
  8. residual
Verb
  • Since 2021, he and his former financing company Creative Wealth Media, which declared bankruptcy in 2023, have been named in at least four lawsuit accusing him of shuffling investments around various entities to repay outstanding loans.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
  • Giants manager Tony Vitello went another way, shuffling a few papers before heading up the tunnel to the home clubhouse.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • The brutal contest featured daring maneuvers, multiple ladders, and table-breaking spots, with Bailey executing a spectacular moonsault from a ladder.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Larson’s sustained fury at Bronin for daring to challenge him is well-known among active Democrats.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
Definition of dare
Noun
  • For centuries, farmers had sustained soil fertility by recycling locally available nutrients, including animal manure, crop residues and human waste.
    — Edward D. Melillo, Fortune, 27 July 2026
  • Regular cleanings can take care of food and residue left behind and create a safer environment for cooking.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 July 2026
Definition of residue
Verb
  • Dominik Mysterio Joe Hendry opened up by ramming Dominik into the corner and stomping him.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Twenty wrestlers are committed to slipping on their mawashi loincloths (don’t call it a diaper), stomping to signal their readiness (that’s a shiko) and doing some belly-slapping grappling.
    — Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of stomp
Verb
  • Three of the candidates are Democrats challenging the incumbent, a Republican.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
  • July 23 – August 22 A relationship may challenge you, but that does not mean your light needs to shrink.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
Definition of challenge
Noun
  • Despite persistent concerns from local officials that some who are homeless refuse shelter, no county in the Bay Area has enough beds for its entire homeless population.
    — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
  • In photo images shared by the Parks and Rec Department, an outdoor trash barrel sits ringed by bags of refuse collected next to a playing field.
    — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026
Definition of refuse
Verb
  • Ella Rubin stars as Annie Jacobson, a high schooler who stumbles into a mystery when her grandfather dies and leaves her an island in Canada—along with a cryptic letter.
    — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • The story is compelling as ever and a reminder that Xbox stumbled onto some real magic back in 2001.
    — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of stumble
Noun
  • So, yes, the residuals were bigger, but so were the contract restrictions.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • This failed to take into account royalties, residuals, image and intellectual property rights, and other assets, the Boseman brothers’ filing said.
    — Lindsay Good, NBC news, 23 July 2026
Definition of residual

Browse Nearby Words

stumbling (upon)
stump
stumped
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stump.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stump. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stump

Nglish: Translation of stump for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stump

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