stinger

noun

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sting·er | \ ˈstiŋ-ər

plural stingers

Definition of stinger

1 : one that stings specifically : a sharp blow or remark

2 : a sharp organ (as of a bee, scorpion, or stingray) that is usually connected with a poison gland or otherwise adapted to wound by piercing and injecting a poison

3 : a cocktail usually consisting of brandy and white crème de menthe

4 medical : a usually sports-related injury of the brachial plexus marked by a painful burning sensation that radiates from the neck down the arm and is often accompanied by weakness or numbness of the affected area Arrington had missed the second quarter with a concussion and a stinger that left him, momentarily, without feeling in his left arm.— Peter King

— called also burner

5 : a short scene that appears during or after the closing credits of a movie or TV program And don't walk out of said theater too fast either; the credits offer two stingers, one points the way toward a new comic franchise, another includes an escaped space monster.— D. J. Palladino

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Examples of stinger in a Sentence

the stinger of a bee in the eighth round he delivered a stinger that knocked his opponent flat

Recent Examples on the Web There’s even a stinger at the end reinforcing Namath’s ladies man appeal, after the narrator says everything looks better through Beauty Mist. — Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 22 July 2022 For seemingly defenseless creatures (soft bodies with no stinger, jaws, or sharp projections), adult moths use some clever strategies for survival. — Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 21 July 2022 The trackers also had to devise special gear to cope with the hornet's longer stinger and more toxic venom. — Alicia Ault, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 July 2022 Tiger hit his signature low-flying stinger with a driving iron and gave this one a good run down the fairway, though his ball eventually rolled into the rough. — Scooby Axson, USA TODAY, 14 July 2022 Forward Jayson Tatum, who briefly left with a stinger Saturday, did not require additional treatment Sunday. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 May 2022 Ward, who came in batting .367, has a neck stinger that is keeping him from throwing. — Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2022 Udoka said after the game that Smart had rolled his ankle and Tatum had a shoulder stinger. — New York Times, 22 May 2022 And a stinger and wrist injury a year ago with the Suns. — Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stinger.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near stinger

stinge

stinger

stingfish

Statistics for stinger

Last Updated

6 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Stinger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stinger. Accessed 11 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for stinger

stinger

noun

sting·er | \ ˈstiŋ-ər

Kids Definition of stinger

: a sharp part of an animal (as a bee or scorpion) that is used to wound and often poison prey or an enemy

stinger

noun

sting·er | \ ˈstiŋ-ər

Medical Definition of stinger

1 : a sharp organ (as of a wasp, bee, scorpion, or stingray) that is usually connected with a poison gland or otherwise adapted to wound by piercing and injecting a poison

2 : a usually sports-related injury of the brachial plexus marked by a painful burning sensation that radiates from the neck down the arm and is often accompanied by weakness or numbness of the affected area

— called also burner