stumps 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of stump
1
2
as in dares
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

stumps

2 of 2

noun

plural of stump

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 stumps
Verb
Learn more about why some stumps regrow and how to stop them. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026 Turkey tail grows on dead logs and tree stumps in overlapping layers that resemble a wild bird’s plumage. Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026 Or arrange a bunch of tree stumps around a fire pit to create seating that the kids will love. Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 25 May 2026 Ancient artifacts found beneath Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as one mystery still stumps researchers. FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026 David Hogg stumps for Mai Vang in 7th District primary. Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026 In 1938, Pennington pitched a tent outside the hiring hall for workers building the Shasta Dam, set up some tree stumps for seats and started hawking grub. Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026 Also, check rocks, stumps or logs before sitting down. Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026 This is because tendons that normally curl the toes downward (such as when cats knead your lap) pull on the amputation stumps so that the stumps rub on the ground, and no mechanism remains to oppose that action. The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumps
Verb
  • On a cloudy-white Sunday morning in June, Joey Phelps shuffles into the familiar back pew of Yeakley Chapel, the small Methodist church that has been a part of his life for nearly 50 years.
    Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2026
  • As though on cue, Wardrobe — my beloved, and giant, closet — shuffles over from the corner of my room, the mahogany wood groaning with the effort.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • It was launched into a highly radioactive patch of low-Earth orbit where almost nothing else dares to fly.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 July 2026
  • It’s described that a powerful and surprisingly funny story about an unlikely community that dares to take on one of the largest institutions in the nation.
    Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 8 July 2026
Noun
  • Apart from polluting ecosystems and leaving toxic residues on human food sources, these aggressive chemicals drive pests to develop genetic resistance, rendering treatments ineffective over time.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026
  • According to Lauren DaSilva, senior product manager for All-Clad, both chemistry and cooking byproducts are to blame for sticky residues.
    Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional.
    Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • Suddenly, the trees part and a Tyrannosaurus rex stomps into view.
    RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Share a perspective that challenges their thinking, then learn something that challenges yours.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • This directly challenges the bear case that generative AI only disrupts Adobe's core creative business.
    Tony Zhang, CNBC, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • The heart-palpitating rhythms and glitchy stutters suggest some unholy mix of early Plastikman and Mark Fell, the vestiges of ’90s dance music reanimated into a herky-jerky Frankenstein’s monster.
    Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The last vestiges of the Jim Harbaugh era have been scrubbed from the football program, which now belongs to Kyle Whittingham.
    Austin Meek, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • So much of what the product promises depends on OpenAI's software side, but the execution stumbles by scattering controls across multiple places.
    Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026
  • When rule-follower Ellie stumbles upon tomboy Ashley trapped in a Hot Topic at the mall, she becomes swept up into her world.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • Three of Neptune's moons might have been born from the remnants of ancient icy worlds shattered by Neptune's largest moon, Triton, a new study finds.
    Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Found in the burn barrel were remnants of Gross' glasses, clothing, magazines, and a vial of her dog's insulin.
    Patrick Damp, CBS News, 31 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumps. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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