1
as in shuffled
to move heavily or clumsily
the seemingly endless parade finally ended, and the drummers and tuba players stumped wearily to their buses
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenged
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
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Recent Examples of stumped
Continue reading … POLITICS 'CIVICS LESSON’ — Republican shocked after anti-ICE sheriff stumped by basic government question.
—
FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
The divisions have stumped some of the individuals who have been trying to mediate the crisis and who can’t understand why given the problems facing Haiti, where gangs are running rampant, the country’s politicians are unable to set aside their differences.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Still, Orlando at times this season has fallen away from its defensive identity, which in turn has stumped its offensive output.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
The unit earned two turnovers, stumped the Seahawks on their only attempt on fourth down and only allowed 289 total yards.
—Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez, Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
His winning streak came to an end during game five on July 8, when the final Jeopardy question about the Kennedy Center stumped all three contestants.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Now Takaichi, who took office after winning an election in October, is inheriting a decades-old problem that stumped her predecessors – and hoping to be the one to solve it.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
For years local and federal investigators were stumped by who had sent the letters and were unable to prevent the onslaught of threats for more than a decade.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
House Speaker Mike Johnson stumped for Neimeyer in 2024, and the National Republican Congressional Committee has put the district on its list of 26 seats to target in 2026.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
The divisions have stumped some of the individuals who have been trying to mediate the crisis and who can’t understand why given the problems facing Haiti, where gangs are running rampant, the country’s politicians are unable to set aside their differences.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Still, Orlando at times this season has fallen away from its defensive identity, which in turn has stumped its offensive output.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
The unit earned two turnovers, stumped the Seahawks on their only attempt on fourth down and only allowed 289 total yards.
—Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez, Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
His winning streak came to an end during game five on July 8, when the final Jeopardy question about the Kennedy Center stumped all three contestants.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Now Takaichi, who took office after winning an election in October, is inheriting a decades-old problem that stumped her predecessors – and hoping to be the one to solve it.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
For years local and federal investigators were stumped by who had sent the letters and were unable to prevent the onslaught of threats for more than a decade.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
House Speaker Mike Johnson stumped for Neimeyer in 2024, and the National Republican Congressional Committee has put the district on its list of 26 seats to target in 2026.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumped
Verb
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Teenage athletes, whose bodies are pushed to the breaking point and then shuffled out of the sport when new talent arises, bear the brunt of the pressure.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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That means there aren’t going to be just a few chairs shuffled around; my suspicion is much of the roster likely will be overhauled in the next few years.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Alan Morrison, who was the lead attorney in a case that challenged the blanket steel tariffs Trump put in place during his first term, understands why so many businesses have shied away from this kind of face-off.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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The laws have been challenged by families representing a variety of religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and clergy, in addition to nonreligious families.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Along the way, Cindy stumbled a bit and dropped her luggage in front of me.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 Feb. 2026
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One regular shopper stumbled upon the scene of the shooting.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Because she was believed to be so evolved, no one dared challenge her authority.—
Blair Glaser,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
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Stone, who also received a best leading actress nod, dared to bare in a floor-length black halter dress with a dramatic keyhole cutout that extended almost to her navel and also featured a long train.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On her final attempt, Gu stomped a left double-cork 1260 with a toxic grab, vaulting from sixth place into silver-medal position.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
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This apex predator stomped around until the end of the Age of Dinosaurs, roughly 66 million years ago.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumped. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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