as in jammed
firmly positioned in place and difficult to dislodge
the car was hopelessly stuck in the mud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in put
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
you can stick that box in the corner until I figure out where to put everything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stabbed
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
could hardly feel the needle when the nurse stuck my arm with it
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in plucked
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
she got stuck by an unscrupulous seller while using the online auction site
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of stuck
Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The difference between people who achieve their most important goals and those who stay stuck often isn’t talent, luck, or even opportunity.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Warm water can help to loosen up food stuck remains, make soap lather more easily, and make the cleaning process more efficient in general, but it isn’t required for sanitizing dishes.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 10 Sep. 2025
This hiring spree comes after the private equity sector remained stuck in a holding pattern in recent years, as rising interest rates and market volatility put the brakes on dealmaking.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
And whether the Carolina Panthers are just stuck in an endless loop of embarrassment, one that alternately humiliates and enrages their fans.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
But then, in August of 2024, it got stuck — again — this time slowly twirling in a kind of ocean vortex known as the Taylor column.
—Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
If an alpha wolfs out under a full moon, they get stuck in that form forever and are doomed to be hunted and killed by their fellow werewolves.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
The contraction has been particularly brutal for Hollywood’s production assistants, many of whom are feeling stuck at what is supposed to be the starting line of their careers.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
With anxiety, you’re stuck in hypothetical scenarios.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
However, that doesn't mean Perseverance's samples will be stuck on the Red Planet forever, NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy said during Wednesday's Perseverance press conference.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
At the same time, a $125 million state trust fund created for the purpose of helping communities in Brockway's position sits untapped, stuck in partisan gridlock in Madison, Laura Schulte reports.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The long-term effect is a generation carrying debt, stuck in low-wage jobs, and delaying milestones like homeownership or starting families.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
But dirt, lint, or weather damage often keeps the flap stuck open just a sliver.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Over the past couple of years, the housing market has been stuck in a deep freeze.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
And that has stuck pretty much ever since.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Or will travelers stay stuck in the Instagram era?
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The difference between people who achieve their most important goals and those who stay stuck often isn’t talent, luck, or even opportunity.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Warm water can help to loosen up food stuck remains, make soap lather more easily, and make the cleaning process more efficient in general, but it isn’t required for sanitizing dishes.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 10 Sep. 2025
This hiring spree comes after the private equity sector remained stuck in a holding pattern in recent years, as rising interest rates and market volatility put the brakes on dealmaking.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
And whether the Carolina Panthers are just stuck in an endless loop of embarrassment, one that alternately humiliates and enrages their fans.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
But then, in August of 2024, it got stuck — again — this time slowly twirling in a kind of ocean vortex known as the Taylor column.
—Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
If an alpha wolfs out under a full moon, they get stuck in that form forever and are doomed to be hunted and killed by their fellow werewolves.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
The contraction has been particularly brutal for Hollywood’s production assistants, many of whom are feeling stuck at what is supposed to be the starting line of their careers.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
The microwave filter is crucial for protecting your microwave's internal parts from gunk getting stuck or the fans from overheating.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
With anxiety, you’re stuck in hypothetical scenarios.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
However, that doesn't mean Perseverance's samples will be stuck on the Red Planet forever, NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy said during Wednesday's Perseverance press conference.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
At the same time, a $125 million state trust fund created for the purpose of helping communities in Brockway's position sits untapped, stuck in partisan gridlock in Madison, Laura Schulte reports.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The long-term effect is a generation carrying debt, stuck in low-wage jobs, and delaying milestones like homeownership or starting families.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
But dirt, lint, or weather damage often keeps the flap stuck open just a sliver.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Over the past couple of years, the housing market has been stuck in a deep freeze.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
And that has stuck pretty much ever since.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuck
Adjective
-
Quantum sensors take over when signals are jammed or denied.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
-
This comes after years of jammed negotiations over price and cost issues.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But Karl Maybach’s greatest contribution to the wonders of European civilization were his enormously powerful diesel engines that gave birth to the very first high-speed trains of Europe, emphatically putting steam trains out of business.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Studies put misread rates between 10% and 35%, depending on conditions.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Just after noon, officers from BPD and the School Police Unit responded to a report of a teen stabbed in the Roxbury high school building, spokesperson Sgt.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Frank was also found bound in the basement, stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Yet there’s a relaxed comfort to dinner in the airy concrete-floored loft, starting with the Taiwanese sausage that arrives as an early bite, wedged into homemade brioche like a tiny hot dog and plucked up between two fingers.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The Orioles plucked him in the Rule 5 draft after a tragic plane crash claimed their top catching prospect.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Credit spreads are at their tightest in about 20 years, meaning there is little difference in yields between corporate bonds compared to government bonds.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The project, created under tight deadlines and with hobby-grade parts, is now on track for wider military use.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Murdochs and Redstones are far from the only families that clung tenaciously to control of their media empires for as long as possible.—
Howard Homonoff,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In addition to the mouse study, the researchers also confirmed that the protein quickly clung to carbon monoxide in human blood in test tubes.—
Sara Novak,
Scientific American,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Many of the restaurant’s precious few seats are situated out front.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The bathroom, complete with a full shower, sink, and your choice of a traditional or composting toilet, is situated on one side of the structure, with the kitchen and living area in the middle and two bedrooms on the other side.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That moment punctured the membrane between past and present for me.—
Michael Jerome Plunkett
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The squirrel’s back was punctured through the skin, but the talon marks were not deep enough to have been fatal.—
Charles Elliott,
Outdoor Life,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stuck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuck. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share