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
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Recent Examples of stumping
Frenzel has been stumping in favor of data center buildup and in April said that if done correctly, such centers could help bring down the cost of electricity for its customers.
—
Steve Gelsi, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
What this entailed was gaining as much reliable information about the Soviet military as possible while stumping for an open skies policy that would allow overflights by both sides of the other's territory to prevent accidental war.
—David Szondy
march 29, New Atlas, 29 Mar. 2026
But one skin dilemma that’s stumping even me is why everyone thinks their skin looks so dull right now.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 20 Jan. 2026
After successfully stumping Consuelos with a bit of trivia of her own, a contestant named Rachel was then tasked with answering a question about recent Live guest and Virgin River actress Alexandra Breckenridge.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Others like Taylor Swift, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jane Fonda offered simple endorsements without stumping for the vice president.
—Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, Donald Washberg is stumping dressed like Will Rogers at the Ziegfeld Follies.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
With a national fundraising blitz in full swing and Election Day just around the corner, Democrats stumping for Proposition 50 have far out-raised and out-spent their opponents — even though a California megadonor with Republican ties single-handedly spent $30 million to defeat it.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2025
There is such a gap between the sides that Phil Mickelson is out here stumping for Mike Krzyzewski and 88-year-old Lou Holtz.
—Hugh Kellenberger, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Steve Gelsi, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
What this entailed was gaining as much reliable information about the Soviet military as possible while stumping for an open skies policy that would allow overflights by both sides of the other's territory to prevent accidental war.
—David Szondy
march 29, New Atlas, 29 Mar. 2026
But one skin dilemma that’s stumping even me is why everyone thinks their skin looks so dull right now.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 20 Jan. 2026
After successfully stumping Consuelos with a bit of trivia of her own, a contestant named Rachel was then tasked with answering a question about recent Live guest and Virgin River actress Alexandra Breckenridge.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Others like Taylor Swift, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jane Fonda offered simple endorsements without stumping for the vice president.
—Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, Donald Washberg is stumping dressed like Will Rogers at the Ziegfeld Follies.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
With a national fundraising blitz in full swing and Election Day just around the corner, Democrats stumping for Proposition 50 have far out-raised and out-spent their opponents — even though a California megadonor with Republican ties single-handedly spent $30 million to defeat it.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2025
There is such a gap between the sides that Phil Mickelson is out here stumping for Mike Krzyzewski and 88-year-old Lou Holtz.
—Hugh Kellenberger, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumping
Verb
-
The Bruins are shuffling off to Buffalo.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Philadelphia Phillies are shuffling up the bullpen by sending Seth Johnson back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and recalling Chase Shugart from the IronPigs.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Elsewhere on the menu, coconut and tamarind flavors mingle, producing fusion-style flavors that push dishes just to the edge, enough to be daring but not too much to alienate diners.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
His own series of daring explorations.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lina cried out, stumbling backward.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Unlike the blue plaques affixed to residences in London, which indicate where notable figures once lived, or the Stolpersteine (or stumbling stones) embedded in the sidewalks of German cities to mark the former homes of Holocaust victims, Bucharest’s red disks are not commemorative but predictive.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Organizers say the protest is part of a broader movement challenging surveillance infrastructure and its potential consequences.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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At a time when running any kind of music or entertainment venue is challenging at best, the Back Room has kept on truckin’ for a decade now, and the Back Room is celebrating that milestone with a series of special concerts involving some of the Bay Area’s most beloved entertainers.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s the sound of clogs slowly stomping back into the spotlight.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
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For pretty much every gamer alive today, those first few notes induce an almost Pavlovian response — sparking an urge to grab a controller on your lap that isn’t actually there and bringing to mind comfortable, warm memories of stomping Goombas and riding Yoshi on a quest to save Princess Peach.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumping. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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