stems

verb

present tense third-person singular of stem
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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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 stems To avoid this, prune damaged and broken stems off your plants in fall using clean, sharp pruning cuts. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 2 Nov. 2026 Nasdaq's growing appeal stems in part from revisions to its index inclusion mechanisms and listing rules implemented earlier this year. — CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026 Reflecting the decade, the scent has a more minimalist olfactory profile of flower stems and gentle musk. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026 Keep the soil lightly moist and trim a few outer stems at a time to encourage continuous growth. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2026 Advertisement Give broccoli stems a chance Jonathan Deutsch has watched fellow cooks buy cases of broccoli, cut off the florets, and throw away the stems. — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 The novel’s conceit stems in part from my attempt to grapple with my family’s and my own trauma and what constitutes truth. — Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026 After cutting open both stems and swapping the batteries between earbuds, iFixit noticed the buds could no longer be charged. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026 The reason Dancing With the Stars doesn’t air live for its West Coast audience stems back to local news and the coveted primetime programming slots. — Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stems
  1. ends
  2. delays
  3. stops
  4. halts
  5. blocks
  6. concludes
Verb
  • The five-episode limited series takes viewers on an emotional journey, opening with a shocking first scene which is also how the series ends.
    — Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2026
  • But even after the uneven Multiverse Saga ends (hopefully on a high note), Marvel Studios won’t be stopping.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of ends
Verb
  • Project delays risk deferring revenue while costs accumulate, potentially triggering liquidity distress.
    — , CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
  • This is partly due to common symptoms between certain types of cancer and pregnancy, but also because physicians (and patients) are reluctant to perform imaging during pregnancy, which delays biopsies and management.
    — Elyce Cardonick, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of delays
Verb
  • The question, posed during an on-court postgame interview, was when a young player stops measuring his performance by his point total and starts measuring it by the result.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Even hair and makeup had to adapt, since traditional hair spray stops working properly in that cold.
    — Max Gao, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of stops
Verb
  • The council voted unanimously on the ordinance, which halts new oil and gas drilling in the city and phases out existing production over the next 20 years.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The Bears go three-and-out, and the wind halts the ensuing punt, landing at the 15-yard line.
    — Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of halts
Verb
  • According to the team at the Francis Crick Institute, adult fruit flies have a hydrophobic lipid coating made of long hydrocarbon molecules that blocks water loss.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The idea is that, although their paralysis blocks the neural signals from reaching their muscles, those signals are still generated in the brain.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of blocks
Verb
  • The report concludes that the future of denim finishing will not be defined by individual technologies alone but by the ability to manage complex processes in a more controlled, transparent, and continuously improvable manner.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Awaiting Artemis The gallery concludes with a space reserved to exhibit the Artemis I capsule, the spacecraft that flew without astronauts to the Moon in 2022.
    — Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of concludes

Browse Nearby Words

stemming
stems
stench
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Cite this Entry

“Stems.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stems. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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