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
Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026
There was something puritanical and stunted in all of this critical handwringing.
—Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
Cabbage loopers feed on leaf undersides, creating windowpane patterns, while later larval stages chew holes or bore into cabbage heads, causing stunted growth or failure to form a head.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Over-fertilizing hanging baskets can lead to nutrient burn, causing yellowing leaves, stunted growth, crispy leaf tips, and wilting.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 8 June 2026
These insects are notorious for piercing leaves and stems to extract sap, which can result in stunted growth, yellowing, and unsightly discoloration.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 31 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
And what about the big man himself, Antony Starr, who plays the seemingly all-powerful but curiously stunted Homelander?
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Beans Some gardeners find their pole beans stunted by sunflowers, but other types of beans may be an even bigger problem.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
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
Adjective
The link between violent spectacle and the pardon power is a long-standing one, but here, again, ambition has been stunted.
—Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026
There was something puritanical and stunted in all of this critical handwringing.
—Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
Cabbage loopers feed on leaf undersides, creating windowpane patterns, while later larval stages chew holes or bore into cabbage heads, causing stunted growth or failure to form a head.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Over-fertilizing hanging baskets can lead to nutrient burn, causing yellowing leaves, stunted growth, crispy leaf tips, and wilting.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 8 June 2026
These insects are notorious for piercing leaves and stems to extract sap, which can result in stunted growth, yellowing, and unsightly discoloration.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 31 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
And what about the big man himself, Antony Starr, who plays the seemingly all-powerful but curiously stunted Homelander?
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
Verb
Hannah is recovering from a traumatic event at high school that’s stunted her ability to write songs, putting her scholarship at risk.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Beans Some gardeners find their pole beans stunted by sunflowers, but other types of beans may be an even bigger problem.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunted
Adjective
-
Additionally, new facilities such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, are expected to discover more dwarf galaxies for researchers to study.—
Christopher Karwin,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
-
Until then, the two dwarf galaxy siblings will stick together, even if the big brother does continue to pick on the little one.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The couple is seeking $25 million in damages, claiming that because their team didn’t have the documents suppressed, they were convicted on every count.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched two ballistic missiles and 221 drones in its latest barrage, of which 195 drones were intercepted or otherwise suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
11 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
-
OpenAI has already dwarfed even SpaceX’s IPO in a single funding round.—
Bloomberg,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
-
That dwarfed the offerings of Morocco, which had no existing stadiums that conformed to tournament specifications and would need to spend upwards of $15 billion to prepare for a World Cup.—
Kevin Baxter
Follow
June 7,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
The whole episode is a reminder to product designers everywhere that users can be extremely sensitive to the seemingly smallest changes — and Spotify clearly had not anticipated that a teeny-tiny disco ball drop would prove to be unpopular.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Today, Siazon’s pickles can be found at the Sacramento Natural Food Co-op, the Davis Foods Co-op, Corti Brothers, the Kitchen Table locations, Allspicery in East Sacramento and tiny but mighty Superette Market in Land Park.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
One of the largest online stores used by Cuban exiles to send goods to relatives on the island has halted operations, reducing options for families who rely on digital services amid Cuba’s deepening economic crisis.—
Vera Lucia Pappaterra,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
-
While Democratic leaders officially threw their support behind Platner after Mills halted her campaign, many of them remained circumspect about him.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Hurricane Andrew — the lethal 1992 storm that almost always gets invoked as a cautionary tale — struck during a relatively quiet year and though fierce, was puny by comparison.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
But as avid swimmers, we were disappointed with the puny indoor pool, which couldn’t have been more than 10 meters long.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
But by the 1960s, it was much diminished, and a later owner, Benjamin Swig, had sold close to 1,000 antiques and artworks to help pay bills.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Life satisfaction went up, and loneliness diminished.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunted. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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