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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scrubby
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Recent Examples of stunted
Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025
Unfortunately, the sulfur compounds in garlic may interfere with nitrogen fixation in legumes and cause these plants to grow more slowly and become stunted.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025
If your shrubs have distorted, yellowing, or curling leaves or their growth seems stunted, take a close look.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
Researchers studying Malawi, an African nation with high rates of stunted growth among children, have reported seeing a link between changes in gut microbial genomes and things such as height and weight.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
One in three say over-reliance on AI without developer accountability was their top worry, while one in five were perturbed that junior engineers may see their development stunted.
—John Kell, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025
Agricultural growth is stunted.
—Sivan Yaari, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Overwatering can also result in stunted growth and off-color (yellow) foliage in annuals.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
Hollywood is littered with cautionary tales of child actors whose natural development is stunted, leaving them unable to ride the physical and emotional chaos that follows.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Helene has stunted that growth.
—Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
Electric Dusk arrived as Motown was reincorporated into Capitol Music Group, creating instability that somewhat stunted the record’s potential.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 4 Sep. 2025
Don’t harvest cilantro that is too small or its growth may be stunted and leaves may lack flavor.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
As a result, the upper-pressure ridges that have started have been stunted in their growth.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2025
After starting 0-2 in five of its last six seasons, the team seemed to agree with criticism that trying to preserve its roster’s preseason health had stunted its readiness for the regular season.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2025
Of course, the receiving numbers were stunted as a result of running back Ashton Jeanty’s historic season.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 5 Aug. 2025
That could have stunted her career if something special hadn't happened in Nashville.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 21 July 2025
Verb
Infected plants will be stunted.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025
Unfortunately, the sulfur compounds in garlic may interfere with nitrogen fixation in legumes and cause these plants to grow more slowly and become stunted.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025
If your shrubs have distorted, yellowing, or curling leaves or their growth seems stunted, take a close look.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
Researchers studying Malawi, an African nation with high rates of stunted growth among children, have reported seeing a link between changes in gut microbial genomes and things such as height and weight.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
One in three say over-reliance on AI without developer accountability was their top worry, while one in five were perturbed that junior engineers may see their development stunted.
—John Kell, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025
Agricultural growth is stunted.
—Sivan Yaari, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Overwatering can also result in stunted growth and off-color (yellow) foliage in annuals.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
Hollywood is littered with cautionary tales of child actors whose natural development is stunted, leaving them unable to ride the physical and emotional chaos that follows.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
However, their progress has been stunted due to the fragile nature of qubits.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Helene has stunted that growth.
—Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
Electric Dusk arrived as Motown was reincorporated into Capitol Music Group, creating instability that somewhat stunted the record’s potential.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 4 Sep. 2025
Don’t harvest cilantro that is too small or its growth may be stunted and leaves may lack flavor.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
As a result, the upper-pressure ridges that have started have been stunted in their growth.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2025
After starting 0-2 in five of its last six seasons, the team seemed to agree with criticism that trying to preserve its roster’s preseason health had stunted its readiness for the regular season.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2025
Of course, the receiving numbers were stunted as a result of running back Ashton Jeanty’s historic season.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 5 Aug. 2025
That could have stunted her career if something special hadn't happened in Nashville.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 21 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunted
Verb
-
The Onondagas support plans announced by the mayor of Syracuse in 2020 to remove the statue of Columbus, an Italian explorer who helped the Spanish establish a colonial foothold in the Caribbean and later suppressed revolts by Indigenous people.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The defense also argued that evidence recovered from the backpack Mangione was carrying when he was arrested at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s should be suppressed.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Arnolds Field landfill, just half a mile from Claridge’s home in Rainham, is an undulating swatch of scrubby land spanning roughly 40 acres.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Authorities released a photo showing the towering waterfront home dwarfed by flames and clouds of black smoke.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
However, those cities also dwarfed Milwaukee’s population of 600,000.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
With twelve gorgeous varieties, there is a shape, size, and color to fit any garden including semi-dwarf cultivars and upright, nearly columnar varieties for small spaces.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Astronomers hunt these rogue black holes in dwarf galaxies because, when compared to large galaxies, their smaller masses and simpler evolutionary history preserve more clues about the early growth of black holes.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In 1977, consumer groups petitioned federal regulators to ban the marketing of sugary foods to children, but industry lobbying halted those efforts.—
Alice Callahan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Vought's comments came shortly before a federal judge in California ‒ on the 15th day of the shutdown ‒ halted the administration’s layoffs for now in a case brought by two labor unions.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In many respects, CDMS users receive the powerful anti-ship capabilities of a surface warfare vessel worth many hundreds of millions of dollars for just a tiny fraction of that price.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Spiders have venom to subdue prey, but the majority have fangs that are too tiny to puncture human skin.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The coming of age has not diminished Reich’s capacity to articulate complex political and economic issues in clear language.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Bean and squash yields (as measured by weight) were reduced when intercropped with maize, while maize yields were only slightly diminished when intercropped.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s in part, because the odds appear to be long for oxygenic photosynthesis arising on a planet circling a puny red dwarf.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
His splendid defense never wavered, but Harris was statistically the worst lineup regular in the majors this season through the All-Star break, batting .210 with a puny .551 OPS in 93 games.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunted. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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