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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 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
-
The three actors were filming a lighthearted scene, shuffling excitedly between a hot sauna and cold plunge, when Reeves’ foot caught on some flooring.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The film essentially takes place entirely within an under-20-minute timeline, showing the same events from a shuffling deck of points of view.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
From sleight-of-hand tricks to daring stunts, the afternoon is designed to keep the laughs and gasps coming.—
Tiffani Jackson Skinner,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Enthralling both fellow captives and the Bey of Algiers, Cervantes, his spirit unbroken, also imagines a daring escape plan.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
His arrival home each night is announced by his sputtering motorcycle and his drunken stumbling up the stairs.—
Adam Solomons,
IndieWire,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Whew The last thing a team wants to see is its starting quarterback stumbling to the sideline four plays into the season.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
At just 265 meters long but climbing a steep 17 percent gradient, the Glória Funicular saves passengers a challenging uphill walk in only about three minutes.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The map has been signed into law by Abbott ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, but is also the subject of lawsuits challenging the new bounderies.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Cena’s chrome-domed antihero, Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante and and Danielle Brooks’ Adebayo stomping through spots of light.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
21 Aug. 2025
-
No velvet rope, no fourth wall—just boot-stomping, beer-sign neon and crowd-absorption tech.—
Bob Bonniol,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumping. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share