stunted; stunting; stunts
: to hinder the normal growth, development, or progress of
stuntedness
noun
Examples of stunt in a Sentence
Verb
unfortunately, an unusually dry summer seems to have permanently stunted the tree
Recent Examples on the Web
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Negotiations were shelved, leading to an impasse and stunting Wilson’s development, who was recovering from keyhole ankle surgery which was worse than first thought.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Bradley says to avoid using coffee grounds when planting seeds or when plants are seedlings as the grounds can inhibit seed germination and stunt the growth of young plants.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026
The evidence In addition to animal research, there are a handful of preliminary studies in humans suggesting colostrum may improve certain forms of inflammatory bowel syndrome, gastroenteritis, and upper respiratory tract infections, as well as stunting in children.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stunt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Hannah is recovering from a traumatic event at high school that’s stunted her ability to write songs, putting her scholarship at risk.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Negotiations were shelved, leading to an impasse and stunting Wilson’s development, who was recovering from keyhole ankle surgery which was worse than first thought.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Bradley says to avoid using coffee grounds when planting seeds or when plants are seedlings as the grounds can inhibit seed germination and stunt the growth of young plants.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026
The evidence In addition to animal research, there are a handful of preliminary studies in humans suggesting colostrum may improve certain forms of inflammatory bowel syndrome, gastroenteritis, and upper respiratory tract infections, as well as stunting in children.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stunt
Cite this Entry
“Stunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stunt. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stunt
1 of 3 verb
: to hold back the normal growth, development, or progress of
stunt
2 of 3 noun
: an unusual or difficult feat performed or attempted usually to gain attention or publicity
stunt
3 of 3 verb
: to perform stunts
Etymology
Verb
from a dialect word stunt "stubborn, abrupt, stunted," probably of Scandinavian origin
Noun
origin unknown
Medical Definition
stunt
transitive verb
: to hinder the normal growth, development, or progress of
an emotionally stunted child
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
