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, 29 May 2026
Pricey financing stunted home sales and appreciation.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
This caused wilting, stunted crop growth, tree die-back and lower yields, while increasing global cocoa prices even more.
—Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Signs that your tree may need fertilizer include pale or yellowing leaves, stunted growth, or new shoots shorter than 6 inches during the growing season.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 25 May 2026
And what about the big man himself, Antony Starr, who plays the seemingly all-powerful but curiously stunted Homelander?
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
In the daytime, Yara would’ve been able to see the stunted oaks, the spruces, the fat and full rosemary bushes.
—Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
My blue hostas at home became stunted, more green than blue and burned at leaf edges after the removal of a tree increased the afternoon sun.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Gaspar-Oliveri doesn’t sensationalize the boy’s behavior but presents it as a devastating consequence of a stunted childhood.
—Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
For students whose school years were stunted by the COVID-19 pandemic, turning to social media for information can be natural.
—Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Unlike his three sisters, Branwell, his artistic career stunted by alcoholism and an opium addiction, never published.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Eight years later, however, Saudi Arabia’s moviemaking ambitions have yet to materialize, stunted by regional turmoil and a failure to recognize what audiences want.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 13 May 2026
And the constant presence of four effortlessly irresistible sisters, each unfolding towards the light like a peony, has stunted her growth.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 May 2026
Murdock constructed the North Carolina Research Campus, but his plans to revitalize the town were stunted by the 2008 recession.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
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
Adjective
Foliage may bend downward, leaves may be discolored, or growth may be stunted.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
Pricey financing stunted home sales and appreciation.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
This caused wilting, stunted crop growth, tree die-back and lower yields, while increasing global cocoa prices even more.
—Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
Signs that your tree may need fertilizer include pale or yellowing leaves, stunted growth, or new shoots shorter than 6 inches during the growing season.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 25 May 2026
And what about the big man himself, Antony Starr, who plays the seemingly all-powerful but curiously stunted Homelander?
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
In the daytime, Yara would’ve been able to see the stunted oaks, the spruces, the fat and full rosemary bushes.
—Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
My blue hostas at home became stunted, more green than blue and burned at leaf edges after the removal of a tree increased the afternoon sun.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Gaspar-Oliveri doesn’t sensationalize the boy’s behavior but presents it as a devastating consequence of a stunted childhood.
—Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Verb
The former child star had a lifelong kidney condition that stunted his growth and led to numerous health complications throughout his life.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
For students whose school years were stunted by the COVID-19 pandemic, turning to social media for information can be natural.
—Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Unlike his three sisters, Branwell, his artistic career stunted by alcoholism and an opium addiction, never published.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Eight years later, however, Saudi Arabia’s moviemaking ambitions have yet to materialize, stunted by regional turmoil and a failure to recognize what audiences want.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 13 May 2026
And the constant presence of four effortlessly irresistible sisters, each unfolding towards the light like a peony, has stunted her growth.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 May 2026
Murdock constructed the North Carolina Research Campus, but his plans to revitalize the town were stunted by the 2008 recession.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunted
Adjective
-
Over billions of years, the galaxy probably collided with smaller dwarf galaxies, which brought in fresh gas and stars and helped build up the outer spiral arms.—
Lisa Kewley,
The Conversation,
14 May 2026
-
Semi-dwarf varieties grow to between 3 and 8 feet tall, while giant sunflowers grow at least 8 feet tall.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
This step suppressed hydrogen bonding between water molecules, prevented freezing, and preserved its flexibility.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
His puck-moving play was completely suppressed in the offensive zone, too.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The landscape is baked and scrubby.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
22 May 2026
-
Its full 360-degree swivel head and extra-scrubby (yet extra-gentle) mopping pads were similarly made with bigger messes in mind.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Even before Backrooms dwarfed pre-release projections for its opening weekend at the domestic box office, Parsons was already discussing his plans of making a sequel — if not a series of movies — and more.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
From the summit of Monte Gambarogno, the towns hugging the shore of Lake Maggiore appear as tiny specks, dwarfed by the snowcapped southern Alps to the north.—
Lisa Kadane,
Travel + Leisure,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
From the train windows, expect to spot the aquamarine waves of Ligurian Sea crashing against the stony coast, candy-colored houses huddled together on the hillsides, tiny wooden boats gliding through village harbors, and flecks of golden-sand beaches.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
-
Tribby, of Miles City, noted that, absent a court ruling that defines the legality of corner crossing in Montana, the PLPW council should consider access corridors rather than single-point access to a tiny corner that might be on a steep sidehill or monumented by a tree.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The country’s growth outlook has darkened due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has effectively halted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up energy and commodities prices globally.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
The World Health Organization halted its trial of hydroxychloroquine after a large, randomized study conducted in the United Kingdom found the drug lacked any apparent effect on mortality when treating COVID-19.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
On paper, Baltimore’s geographic and institutional advantages make Austin look puny.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
28 May 2026
-
Tesla’s generating puny and declining returns on the plants, inventories and other assets now on its books.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Polis wrote in his veto letter that the bill would have diminished incentives for fire departments to participate in the Colorado Firefighter Trust, which replaced state workers’ compensation for firefighters’ cancer claims.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
-
Phosphorus has diminished some.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunted. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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