1
as in shuffling
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 daring
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 stumping
The caller won a prize by stumping the cast.
—
Dave Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Sep. 2025
Dave Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumping
Verb
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The video shows agents ducking for cover in front of two white vans while quickly shuffling detainees inside the facility, where an ICE agent frantically guided the detainees down a hallway.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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Instead of shuffling through the deep cabinet shelves for small jars, attach rows of slim shelves with dowel rods to safely hold a few dozen spices.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Fans praised Johnson’s daring outfit on social media.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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Whether classic blue, daring black, or vintage light wash is calling your name, these finds all offer plenty of versatility, especially in the fall.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Glamour,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The episode ends with a surreal, graphic deepfake scene of a totally nude Donald Trump stumbling around a desert.—
Nick Marx,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
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Inside the agency, Dudek, ill-prepared for leadership or for DOGE’s murky agenda, was stumbling through the chaos in part by creating some of his own.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The general procedure for challenging balls and strikes called by the umpires was also announced.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
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In his closing argument, lead defense lawyer Mark Agnifilo explicitly told jurors that the defense wasn’t challenging the women’s claims of domestic violence.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Norwegian stomping clear of a defence caught too high up the pitch.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Throngs of teenagers can be seen in the videos hitting, kicking, stomping and pushing victims.—
Robert Anglen,
AZCentral.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumping. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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