stoop

1 of 3

verb

ˈstüp 

stooped; stooping; stoops

intransitive verb

1

a

: to bend the body or a part of the body forward and downward sometimes simultaneously bending the knees

b

: to stand or walk with a forward inclination of the head, body, or shoulders

2

: yield, submit

3

a

: to descend from a superior rank, dignity, or status

b

: to lower oneself morally

stooped to lying

4

a

archaic : to move down from a height : alight

b

: to fly or dive down swiftly usually to attack prey

transitive verb

1

: debase, degrade

2

: to bend (a part of the body) forward and downward

stoop

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

a

: an act of bending the body forward

b

: a temporary or habitual forward bend of the back and shoulders

2

: the descent of a bird especially on its prey

3

: a lowering of oneself

stoop

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a porch, platform, entrance stairway, or small veranda at a house door

Synonyms of stoop

Verb

• disgrace
• shame
• deign
• condescend
• humble
• lower

Noun (2)

• porch

Examples of stoop in a Sentence

Verb

She stooped down to hug the child.

He had to stoop to pick it up.

He tends to stoop as he walks.

He really did that? I didn't think he could stoop so low.

Noun (2)

the stoop at the front entrance is just big enough to shield a resident from the elements as he fumbles for his keys

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Winger Aron Winter pulled back the cross, and Bergkamp stooped to head home their third of the game. —Michael Cox, New York Times, 11 May 2026

Even the Celtics wouldn’t have stooped so low as to try to enact a ban on an opposing team’s fans. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026

Noun

After a two-week closet cleanse, Julia Fox will be selling hundreds of her fashion finds Saturday afternoon in TriBeCa, as part of Drafting x eBay’s stoop sale series. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 15 May 2026

By the evening, everyone shifts outside to the stoop, where Harlem pianist Warner Meadows and special guests close the night with live music. —Shelby Stewart, Essence, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English stoupen, from Old English stūpian; akin to Swedish stupa to fall, plunge, Old English stēap steep, deep

Noun (2)

Dutch stoep; akin to Old English stæpe step — more at step

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1571, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1755, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stoop

• descend/sink/stoop to someone's level
• stoop labor

Rhymes for stoop

• coop
• coupe
• croup
• droop
• drupe
• dupe
• group
• hoop
• loop
• lupe
• oop
• poop

Kids Definition

stoop

1 of 3 verb

ˈstüp 

1

a

: to bend down or over

b

: to stand or walk with the head and shoulders or the upper part of the body bent forward

2

: to degrade oneself

stoop to lying

stoop

2 of 3 noun

1

: an act of bending the body forward

2

: a forward bend of the back and shoulders that is temporary or by habit

stoop

3 of 3 noun

: a porch, platform, or entrance stairway at a house door

Etymology

Verb

Old English stūpian "to stoop, bend over"

Noun

from Dutch stoep "porch, stoop"