as in dwarf
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as in suppressed
to hold back the normal growth of
unfortunately, an unusually dry summer seems to have permanently stunted the tree
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Recent Examples of stunted
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Your creativity may feel stunted.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Symptoms of low light, like when the grow light is too far away, include stretching leggy plants, small pale leaves, dropped leaves, and stunted or no growth.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025
Three years after his last in-field mission as a special forces soldier, Alexander feels stunted in his current role at The Orphanage.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025
Mayo Clinic listed other potential symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble with concentration and memory, headache, sleeplessness, skin darkening and stunted growth in children.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025
Symptoms include cartilage damage and stunted growth, leading to severe mobility issues, Nasser explains.
—Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 16 Nov. 2025
For a zoomed out look at how polling has stunted progressive candidates like Mamdani, consider a pair of deep dives.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
But a pair of Beck interceptions in between those scoring drives stunted Miami’s chance to get closer.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2026
Every time Young would have a positive play or two, a drive would be stunted by a penalty or an execution setback.
—Mike Kaye
updated January 3, Charlotte Observer, 4 Jan. 2026
Bureaucrats have stunted the development of stock markets, and their distrust of private enterprise has scared off investors and venture capitalists.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Beijing’s almost singular focus on building its industrial base has also stunted the development of a balanced domestic market.
—Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Punter Jeremy Crawshaw delivered a fourth-quarter beauty of a boot, too, that was only stunted by Lil'Jordan Humphrey's failure to down it at the 1-yard line.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025
Many remote lodges, however, are stunted by unfixable geographic challenges, like infertile land.
—Jillian Dara, Robb Report, 28 Nov. 2025
Any momentum gained by the Longhorns was quickly stunted by a 10-play drive that featured Georgia converting two fourth-down attempts and a Gunner Stockton touchdown pass.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 15 Nov. 2025
But with Purdy suddenly being stunted by injuries since last year, the Niners may feel there is more value in keeping Jones than trading him, especially with the weapons the 49ers have on the offensive side of the ball.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Adjective
As the disease progresses, plant growth may be stunted and infected plant parts become distorted.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Your creativity may feel stunted.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Symptoms of low light, like when the grow light is too far away, include stretching leggy plants, small pale leaves, dropped leaves, and stunted or no growth.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025
Three years after his last in-field mission as a special forces soldier, Alexander feels stunted in his current role at The Orphanage.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025
Mayo Clinic listed other potential symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble with concentration and memory, headache, sleeplessness, skin darkening and stunted growth in children.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025
Symptoms include cartilage damage and stunted growth, leading to severe mobility issues, Nasser explains.
—Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 16 Nov. 2025
For a zoomed out look at how polling has stunted progressive candidates like Mamdani, consider a pair of deep dives.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
But a pair of Beck interceptions in between those scoring drives stunted Miami’s chance to get closer.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
In fact, all members of the cabbage family can be stunted by clubroot, which is more likely to infect roots in acidic soil.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2026
Every time Young would have a positive play or two, a drive would be stunted by a penalty or an execution setback.
—Mike Kaye
updated January 3, Charlotte Observer, 4 Jan. 2026
Bureaucrats have stunted the development of stock markets, and their distrust of private enterprise has scared off investors and venture capitalists.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Beijing’s almost singular focus on building its industrial base has also stunted the development of a balanced domestic market.
—Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Punter Jeremy Crawshaw delivered a fourth-quarter beauty of a boot, too, that was only stunted by Lil'Jordan Humphrey's failure to down it at the 1-yard line.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 1 Dec. 2025
Many remote lodges, however, are stunted by unfixable geographic challenges, like infertile land.
—Jillian Dara, Robb Report, 28 Nov. 2025
Any momentum gained by the Longhorns was quickly stunted by a 10-play drive that featured Georgia converting two fourth-down attempts and a Gunner Stockton touchdown pass.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 15 Nov. 2025
But with Purdy suddenly being stunted by injuries since last year, the Niners may feel there is more value in keeping Jones than trading him, especially with the weapons the 49ers have on the offensive side of the ball.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunted
Adjective
-
Satsuma semi-dwarf trees (Citrus unshiu) are ideal for container gardening due to their compact size and high fruit production.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Recently, the Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of a dwarf galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Insurrection Act, or its predecessors, have been invoked 30 times in American history since George Washington utilized it to suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Shortly after, Noble says the town suppressed who was able to see the video and that Carney took a leave of absence for several weeks.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
As such, its mass of untamed, scrubby green can today be traipsed through on foot or horseback, via ethereal blue coves such as Cala Marinella, the odd wandering fox and to the soothing rhythm of Aleppo pines rustling in the hot wind.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Enjoy a Florida-style expedition at the 1,322-acre Micro Scrub Sanctuary, a natural scrubby flatwoods and mesic flatwoods habitat that includes miles of trails for hiking, biking, and wildlife spotting.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Auto repair might account for less money per claim, Martin said, but the volume of claims dwarfed homeowners claims by orders of magnitude.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoma Watch,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The 75,506 job losses in technology California experienced last year dwarfed every other industry, according to Challenger’s data.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The tiny congregation isn’t sure when, or even if, a new church will be built, but an unconventional plan is afoot to raise the bell tower again, this time as a beacon for the valley.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Jan. 2026
-
In one photo, the pop star posed in the tiniest green butterfly wing print bikini by Rat & Boa, which came with a matching cover-up.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
De Blasio halted the successful Bloomberg initiatives and wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on efforts to improve failing schools rather than replacing them.—
Ray Domanico,
Washington Post,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Between March 2020 and September 2023, loan repayments were halted, offering borrowers a period of relief as the pandemic caused economic challenges, leaving many without income and job loss.—
Tevon Blair,
Essence,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But puny xenophobic humans won't ever see the light of Eywa?—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
19 Dec. 2025
-
Your job is to impale puny human colonizers with your log-sized spears.—
Boone Ashworth,
Wired News,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
What happens when these cues are greatly diminished or erased either by plastic surgery or other aesthetic interventions?—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The prestige of its domestic institutions, once a pillar of American hegemony, has diminished.—
Pratap Bhanu Mehta,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunted. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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