stub

1 of 2

noun

ˈstəb 

1

a

: stump sense 2

b

: a short piece remaining on a stem or trunk where a branch has been lost

2

: something made or worn to a short or blunt shape

especially : a pen with a short blunt nib

3

: a short blunt part left after a larger part has been broken off or used up

a pencil stub

4

: something cut short or stunted

5

a

: a small part of a leaf (as of a checkbook) attached to the spine for memoranda of the contents of the part torn away

b

: the part of a ticket returned to the user

stub

2 of 2

verb

stubbed; stubbing

transitive verb

1

a

: to grub up by the roots

b

: to clear (land) by grubbing out rooted growth

c

: to hew or cut down (a tree) close to the ground

2

: to extinguish (something, such as a cigarette) by crushing

3

: to strike (one's foot or toe) against an object

Synonyms of stub

Noun

• remainder
• scrap
• remnant

Examples of stub in a Sentence

Noun

Hold onto your ticket stub in case you leave the theater and want to come back in again.

an ashtray full of cigarette stubs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The documents required are a valid passport or passports, if traveling with more than one; proof of residency, such as a driver’s license, mortgage statement, rental payment stub or utility bill; or a permanent resident card, if applicable, according to the CBP website. —Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026

Paramount has assigned minimal value to the stub, but Netflix and the WBD board have said the components of Discovery Global, including CNN, have value in the open market. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026

Verb

Kizzi, who spent all day in pain after stubbing her toe on a trash can, tosses and turns all night. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026

But what’s more arrogant and absurd than referring to a 5-24 record in the last 29 games as stubbing one’s toe? —Pat Leonard, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stubb, from Old English stybb; akin to Old Norse stūfr stump, Greek stypos stem

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing stub

• pay stub
• stub one's toe

Rhymes for stub

• bub
• club
• cub
• dub
• grub
• hub
• nub
• pub
• rub
• scrub
• shrub
• snub

Kids Definition

stub

1 of 2 noun

ˈstəb 

1

: stump entry 1 sense 2

2

: a pen with a short blunt point

3

: a short part left after a larger part has been broken off or used up

a pencil stub

4

a

: a small part of a check kept as a record of the contents of the check

b

: the part of a ticket returned to the user

stub

2 of 2 verb

stubbed; stubbing

1

: to put out (as a cigarette) by crushing

2

: to strike (as one's toe) against an object