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 fresh evidence of how internal dissent was suppressed for the sake of diplomatic relationships exposes a broader crisis of impunity for crimes committed against journalists, and the failure of states to hold other states accountable.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
This may have resulted in cooling that had until now suppressed the sublimation of water ice to steam.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
31 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,
15 Dec. 2025
-
Nothing on the surface of this scrubby expanse of western Nevada desert, overlooked by towering, craggy mountains, gives even a hint of what lies beneath.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
His 100 per cent pass-completion rate dwarfed any other starter for either side; nobody else managed above 85 per cent.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
For Wun, couture represents creative freedom — a release from marketing pressures that, in many cases, have dwarfed the importance of true creativity.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
At the previous World Cup in 2022, hosted by tiny Qatar, all of England’s games were in Doha or just outside that city.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Nanotubes are ultra-small cylindrical structures, so tiny that thousands could fit across the width of a human hair.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
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
-
Advertisement Trump has long complained that the existing 200-person East Room was too puny for U.S. majesty and the long-standing protocol of hosting state dinners on the South Lawn—under the cover of swanky tenting—was embarrassing.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The traditional interpretation of Pegasus is a horse flying upside down with puny little wings.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Davie’s successor will inherit an organization wrestling with its place in a media ecosystem dominated by overseas tech giants, as well as battling enemies closer to home, with conservative politicians and media proprietors wishing to see the BBC diminished during charter renewal.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The war diminished Iran’s deterrence capability and exposed the regime’s weakness.—
CNN Staff,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunted. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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