as in ends
to stop the progress or spread of (something)
efforts to stem the dramatic decline of an endangered species
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Recent Examples of stems
Most of them are solitary insects that live alone in underground burrows, hollow plant stems, or small nests built of mud and other debris.
—
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Apr. 2026
Cut pothos stems just above leaf nodes, and use clean tools.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
The roots of the plant consist of a cluster of rhizomes (swollen underground stems with feeder roots attached).
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
His strained relationship with the European Union stems in part from his stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his firm support of Israel and his hardline position on migration, which has led to financial penalties from the bloc.
—Greg Wehner , Simon Owen, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
The ambiguity around the word’s origins stems at least partly from a centuries-long moral panic over it, says Michael Adams, an English professor at Indiana University Bloomington who has written about swearing.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
A lot of it stems, frankly, from Levin himself.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Mucus oozed out of the coral stems, a telltale response to trauma.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
The prevailing idea stems in part from observations that most of the moon's lava flows are concentrated on the near side, forming the dark plains, or lunar maria, visible from Earth.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Apr. 2026
Cut pothos stems just above leaf nodes, and use clean tools.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
The roots of the plant consist of a cluster of rhizomes (swollen underground stems with feeder roots attached).
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
His strained relationship with the European Union stems in part from his stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his firm support of Israel and his hardline position on migration, which has led to financial penalties from the bloc.
—Greg Wehner , Simon Owen, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
The ambiguity around the word’s origins stems at least partly from a centuries-long moral panic over it, says Michael Adams, an English professor at Indiana University Bloomington who has written about swearing.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
A lot of it stems, frankly, from Levin himself.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Mucus oozed out of the coral stems, a telltale response to trauma.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
The prevailing idea stems in part from observations that most of the moon's lava flows are concentrated on the near side, forming the dark plains, or lunar maria, visible from Earth.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stems
Verb
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Internet access will only be restored after the war ends, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported earlier this week, quoting Elias Hazrati, the head of Iran’s Government Information Council.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
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According to the department, 410 foreign climbers have been issued permits to attempt to reach the Everest summit during the spring climbing season, which ends at the end of May.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The plan also maintains full scope Medi-Cal for asylees and other immigrant groups who were cut out of Medicaid by the federal government and delays Medi-Cal premiums for undocumented immigrants that would otherwise begin on July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2028.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2026
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According to the Terner Center at UC Berkeley, each additional public funding source an affordable developer uses, on average, delays a project four months and increases total cost by $20,460 per unit — more than $2 million for a 100-unit community.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Once the larger transfer is sent, the account suddenly stops responding.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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The grinder is operated with one touch and automatically stops when your grounds are ready to go.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy triggers an automatic stay, which immediately halts most collection actions, including garnishment.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
And even if Israel halts its strikes on Iran, there’s no guarantee Tehran will reciprocate.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sometime between January and March 2024, the singer was photographed stepping out of a black Tesla just blocks from Celeste’s home.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
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Residents of the South End and Fenway are experiencing harsher heat than others just blocks away.—
Alyssa Andrews,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Leo’s journey, which concludes on Thursday, has intertwined the theme of peace with concerns for the plight of the poor as well as refugees.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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Compiled by the Associated Press That concludes today’s newsletter.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stems.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stems. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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