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

Short stubby legs and a rounded headboard also amplify the twee appeal of the frame. —Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 13 Mar. 2026

Alvarezsaurs were predominantly small, with stubby but powerful forelimbs, long and gracile hindlimbs and lightly built skulls. —Reuters, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026

For a moment, my stubby, bare brown fingers hover over my keyboard, the speed-​typing test on my screen counting the clock down to zero. —Mason Leib, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026

There’s a real love-is-dead moment when Yas spots Cordelia, who was just rhapsodizing about the purity of her romance with a younger man, literally on her knees before a stubby, old rich guy. —Judy Berman, Time, 19 Jan. 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