stint

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: a period of time spent at a particular activity
served a brief stint as a waiter
b
: a definite quantity of work assigned
2

stint

2 of 3

verb

stinted; stinting; stints

intransitive verb

1
: to be sparing or frugal
not stinting with their praise
2
archaic : stop, desist

transitive verb

1
a
: to restrict with respect to a share or allowance
stinted herself of luxuries
b
archaic : to limit within certain boundaries
2
archaic : to put an end to : stop
stinter noun

stint

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural stints also stint
: any of several small sandpipers (genus Calidris)
Choose the Right Synonym for stint

task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment mean a piece of work to be done.

task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

charged with a variety of tasks

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

Examples of stint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
After a brief, unsatisfying stint as a junior computer programmer for the Justice Department, Farley and his family eventually bought the Pacers Running stores in 2003. Kelyn Soong, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 After Swift took a break from touring for a stint this fall, the duo continued their run of Latin American shows by playing three nights in Buenos Aires, Argentina over the weekend. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 The romantic gesture was the most viral highlight of Swift’s three-day stint in Buenos Aires for the Eras Tour. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023 Nogueira may be best known for a stint on CW’s The Vampire Diaries, with acting credits including The Michael J. Fox Show and the recent Starz series Hightown. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Nov. 2023 The three Buenos Aires shows were Swift’s first Eras Tour performances since her four-night stint in Mexico back in August. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 13 Nov. 2023 Hoke, who returned for a second stint as SDSU head coach when Rocky Long left in January 2020, is 39-31 (.557) across six seasons (2009-10, 2020-23) with the Aztecs. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Nov. 2023 For a quick stint in NYC, Lucy Hale and sister Maggie made a case the eye-catching nature of brunette/blonde duality—and the importance of self-care time—while Lily Collins and her curtain bangs joined husband Charlie McDowell for some in-tandem cheering. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 12 Nov. 2023 Sambora, who overcame an addiction to painkillers and an over-reliance on alcohol after stints in rehab in 2007 and 2011, also told PEOPLE that the touring lifestyle eventually took its toll on him. Alex Cramer, Peoplemag, 5 Nov. 2023
Verb
After his college career with the Cougars and stint with the Raiders, the Houston native also played for the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Commanders before retiring from the NFL after the 2021 season, per ESPN. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 12 Nov. 2023 Boca Raton quickly became the most famous of the Florida boom projects and the MDC did not stint on hyperbole in its advertisements, aimed at potential real estate investors. Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, 25 July 2023 Add too much or too little water, treat the fit sloppily, or stint on the time each layer takes to harden, and you’ll be left with a mound of dust instead of a shapely shell that will defy rain and stand up to tremors. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 20 Apr. 2023 The other hero of the evening was Donald Runnicles, San Francisco’s former music director, who marshalled Strauss’s potentially cumbersome score without stinting on its opulence. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023 Acquired out of Sundance by A24, the film is thematically a bit thin but doesn’t stint on genuine scares, intensity or revulsion. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2023 And Bart, at least in his lyrics, does not stint on bleakness; even the bouncy title song is violent, proposing various ugly fates for the boy who dares to ask for more food. Jesse Green, New York Times, 4 May 2023 Those connections are capably established in a screenplay positively intoxicated with Scream lore; the clues as to the killer’s identity are laid with sly humor and just enough misdirection to keep it interesting, and the multiplying string of murders don’t stint on gore. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Jan. 2022 John, one of the best-selling musicians of all time, delivers a funny and frank memoir about fame and addiction that doesn’t stint on the celebrity gossip. Stephanie Merry, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stint.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English styntan to blunt, dull; akin to Old Norse stuttr scant

Noun (2)

Middle English stynte

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stint was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near stint

Cite this Entry

“Stint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stint. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

stint

1 of 2 verb
1
: to be sparing or stingy
not stinting with their praise
2
: to limit in share or portion : cut short in amount
stint the children's allowance
stinter noun

stint

2 of 2 noun
1
: restriction sense 1, limitation
gave without stint
2
a
: a quantity of work assigned
b
: a period of time spent at a particular activity
served a brief stint as a waiter

Medical Definition

stint

variant of stent

More from Merriam-Webster on stint

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!