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
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Recent Examples of stumped
Streep then did her impersonation of De Niro apparently stumped by a question.
—
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
How many voters have diligently studied candidates and ballot initiatives prior to election day, only to be stumped by a sometimes excruciatingly long list of unfamiliar names of people trying to get or retain jobs as judges?
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The question stumped them, but only to some extent.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Still, managers might be stumped by a request to put on high school hoops or a sailing competition.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 23 Mar. 2026
The next question, about picadillo, stumped the Oscar nominee.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
But Waddle’s situation, in January 2021, stumped him.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
On Thursday, Pritzker stumped for her with a series of appearances at senior living centers on Chicago's South Side.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
As the campaign took shape, Crockett stumped in urban areas, trying to awaken and broaden the base; more than a million Texas Democrats who voted in 2020 stayed home in 2024.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
How many voters have diligently studied candidates and ballot initiatives prior to election day, only to be stumped by a sometimes excruciatingly long list of unfamiliar names of people trying to get or retain jobs as judges?
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The question stumped them, but only to some extent.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Still, managers might be stumped by a request to put on high school hoops or a sailing competition.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 23 Mar. 2026
The next question, about picadillo, stumped the Oscar nominee.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
But Waddle’s situation, in January 2021, stumped him.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
On Thursday, Pritzker stumped for her with a series of appearances at senior living centers on Chicago's South Side.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
As the campaign took shape, Crockett stumped in urban areas, trying to awaken and broaden the base; more than a million Texas Democrats who voted in 2020 stayed home in 2024.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumped
Verb
-
Conservation and breeding efforts shuffled three giraffes around Colorado zoos this year — one returning home to Denver after months away, another joining the Denver herd and a third finding a new home in Colorado Springs, according to zoo officials.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
-
Carlos Mendoza isn’t to blame, nor are this group of players, who are being shuffled around the field like Yahtzee dice.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
But Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace hit three-pointers while Smart was fumbling the ball and James and Hachimura were missing shots, while an Oklahoma City 8-0 run eventually gave them another 13-point lead that was never again challenged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
No other container shipping firm has challenged the constitutionality of the FMC’s legal proceedings.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
With Colorado on the power play, the Avs icon lost the puck near the Minnesota blue line and stumbled while retreating.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
-
But Musk stumbled at least seven times in ways that possibly put his chances at winning in jeopardy.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But even at its most tender, Motown never dared to be as unabashedly sultry as the Ottavianos.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Fallon even dared Coughlan to ask Dave Grohl — who is serving as musical guest with his band Foo Fighters — to be her best friend.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Guest shark Rashaun Williams strapped on his court shoes, wiped them on their mini mat and stomped onto their court.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Dedicating that much shelf space to the New York Yankees, as your organization gets stomped into the ground by them, at home?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumped. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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