stump 1 of 2

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as in to dare
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat when my grandfather was a kid, he and his friends would stump one another to dive into the local swimming hole

Synonyms & Similar Words

stump

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noun

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 stump
Verb
The organic matter can be compost, decaying tree stumps and roots, leaves, thatch, grass clippings, or animal waste. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2025 Walt bought the 10-foot-tall stump at a tourist attraction called Pike’s Petrified Forest near Colorado Springs and presented it to Lillian as a joke gift for their 31st wedding anniversary. Greg Glasgow, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
His case had stumped his doctors. Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025 Thinking it over, the thing that stumped me was, what would 1/6 of a buck look like roaming through the woods? Chester Chatfield, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stump
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stump
Verb
  • Young Hamnet’s shuffling off this mortal coil once laid the groundwork for a masterpiece.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Shelters that shuffle people in and out overnight don’t solve anything.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Hardy plays Tony, the new boyfriend of Tomlinson’s Judy Warren, who dares not confess to her parents how strong her connection to the supernatural world really is.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
  • There is something feral in the onrush of Marlowe’s verse, with the gleam of bared teeth daring us to laugh.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Pour out the mixture, refill the bucket with clean water, and mop the floor again with the clean water to thoroughly remove any residue.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
  • But residue, powder and used needles were found throughout the Leavenworth apartment, according to an affidavit describing charges against the babysitter and her boyfriend.
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Most tourists don't come to Abu Dhabi to put on a thick coat and stomp around a snowy landscape but theme park fans are the exception.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • That certainly looked to be the case as the Indianapolis Colts stomped the Miami Dolphins 33-8 in the regular-season opener.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But over the past few years, conservatives have used the committee as a personal tool to subvert and challenge GOP leaders.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Foreign-aid organizations challenged the administration's ability to refuse to spend funds already allocated by Congress.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This follows its Protect Our Beaches campaign, in partnership with Oceanic Global, that conducts regular beach cleanups removing more than one million pounds of refuse from shorelines around the country.
    Ramsey Qubein, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Contaminants on the site—fuels, wastewater and human refuse—threaten to pollute the sensitive waters surrounding the site on all sides.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • Inspired by true events, The Rip centers on a team of Miami police officers who stumble upon millions in cash during a raid of a stash house.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The Rise of Long-Horizon Capital Where VCs stumbled, others seized control.
    Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • If the standard rule applies where theaters keep 50% of the ticket sales, that means Superman — not counting any residuals or miscellaneous payouts — still has some financial ground to cover.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Slavin is advocating for residuals to be included as eligible earnings for union members who are senior citizens.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stump.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stump. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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