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
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Corn that is overcrowded or planted too close together can lead to competition for resources such as water and nutrients, resulting in stunted, smaller, and underdeveloped ears.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
But with the last pre-war shipments of Middle East oil yet to reach their destinations, the second and third-order effects of the crisis — stunted crops and factory blackouts — have yet to hit, Semafor’s business editor argued.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The shooting caused severe brain damage and left him disabled, with stunted brain development and problems with both short and long term memory, his attorney said.
—Lauren Victory, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
The plant will form stunted shoots and leaves along with unattractive brown spots.
—Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 24 Mar. 2026
Gould said fossil fuel emissions are associated with various cancers, an increase in hospitalizations for older adults due to respiratory conditions, and asthma attacks or stunted lung growth in children.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
That stunted dynamic all puts the dramatic onus of the season on Jolyon’s and Louisa’s relationship, made impossible both by class and by Francis’s political machinations for her husband.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
Avoid pruning more than one-third of the growth, as this can lead to stunted blooms.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 13 Apr. 2026
Still, a day later her leg swelled dangerously with what’s called compartment syndrome, in which blood flow becomes built up and stunted in a certain area and causes immense pressure.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Niantic Spatial’s Visual Positioning System, or VPS, solves a problem that has quietly stunted the autonomous delivery industry.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Items from the archives have dominated the red carpet in the last couple years, as a slew of creative director changes stunted the showcase of new designs.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2026
Also, the frantic movement among players and coaches during the NIL era has perhaps stunted the growth of college quarterbacks.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Ensuing blackouts have hit essential sectors, namely health care, while a lack of fuel has stunted the island’s vital tourism industry.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
But the steady deterioration of what used to be Twitter has stunted the conversations on the app.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2026
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, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Willy’s older brother, Ben (Jonathan Cake, plummy-voiced and elegant, a cedar to Lane’s stunted apple tree), breezes in and out, always on the way to or from some impressive capital venture.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Corn that is overcrowded or planted too close together can lead to competition for resources such as water and nutrients, resulting in stunted, smaller, and underdeveloped ears.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
But with the last pre-war shipments of Middle East oil yet to reach their destinations, the second and third-order effects of the crisis — stunted crops and factory blackouts — have yet to hit, Semafor’s business editor argued.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The shooting caused severe brain damage and left him disabled, with stunted brain development and problems with both short and long term memory, his attorney said.
—Lauren Victory, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
The plant will form stunted shoots and leaves along with unattractive brown spots.
—Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 24 Mar. 2026
Gould said fossil fuel emissions are associated with various cancers, an increase in hospitalizations for older adults due to respiratory conditions, and asthma attacks or stunted lung growth in children.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
That stunted dynamic all puts the dramatic onus of the season on Jolyon’s and Louisa’s relationship, made impossible both by class and by Francis’s political machinations for her husband.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
Avoid pruning more than one-third of the growth, as this can lead to stunted blooms.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
If Rue’s growth has been stunted by her addiction, Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) has been stunted by her attachment to her high school self.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 13 Apr. 2026
Still, a day later her leg swelled dangerously with what’s called compartment syndrome, in which blood flow becomes built up and stunted in a certain area and causes immense pressure.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
Niantic Spatial’s Visual Positioning System, or VPS, solves a problem that has quietly stunted the autonomous delivery industry.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Items from the archives have dominated the red carpet in the last couple years, as a slew of creative director changes stunted the showcase of new designs.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2026
Also, the frantic movement among players and coaches during the NIL era has perhaps stunted the growth of college quarterbacks.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Ensuing blackouts have hit essential sectors, namely health care, while a lack of fuel has stunted the island’s vital tourism industry.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
But the steady deterioration of what used to be Twitter has stunted the conversations on the app.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2026
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, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunted
Adjective
-
Amateur astronomers can squint into an eight-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and learn how to identify a dwarf galaxy from a planetary nebula.—
Mark Johanson,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
-
This dwarf morning glory flower is great for borders, containers or even as a groundcover.—
Mary Grace Granados
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
However, the ruthless King Saran (Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor) has suppressed magic users and enacts a rule of terror, which Zelie hopes to end in order to reunite Orisha’s clans.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The Maduro regime, having stolen the July 2024 presidential election and suppressed the democratic opposition by force, triggered a new wave of international sanctions that choked off oil revenues and sent the bolívar into free fall.—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While much of the Yucatan peninsula is covered by rain forest, the landscape designers improved on nature here creating a jungle that is less scrubby than the real thing and instead planted with dramatic Mexican fan palms and other tropical trees that create a solid green wall.—
John Newton,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Banks are fringed with grasses and scrubby trees, as colorful hills slant down to the water.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With tens of millions of dollars already spent on TV ads, Democrats have dwarfed Republicans in fundraising so far.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
-
All-male alliances like Christian/Devens and Coach’s bro-down have dwarfed the screen time allotted to Kamilla/Dee/Tiffany and Tiffany/Aubry.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Whether still or striding, tiny or outsized, Giacometti’s elongated, upright figures persist as some of the most recognizable works of the post-World War Two era.—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
More than a toy, this plush companion acts as a surrogate mom after the tiny primate was rejected by his own mother, Kamaria, a first-time parent unable to form a maternal bond.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has also repeatedly railed against a federal judge who ordered construction on the ballroom — which required the surprise demolition of the White House’s East Wing — to be temporarily halted until the president receives authorization from Congress.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
But a federal bankruptcy judge halted the sale, citing concerns about the auction process and disputes over the bids.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Launching as soon as 2035, LISA could sense waves from much more massive mergers of supermassive black holes rather than the waves from puny 50-stellar-mass black holes that are within LIGO’s purview.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
-
For weeks voter polls have found that three Democrats are locked in a tie, albeit at a puny level, around 10%, while the other five Democrats are buried in single digits.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Guthrie is 84, after all, and not in great health, so though in the first few days the focus was on trying to find her alive, at this point, the hopes of that have diminished greatly.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Quiet Maryam and mercurial Farhan—eight years apart—had often squabbled, gone through periods of not talking, but without her sister as a foil, Maryam was diminished.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunted. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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