as in suppressing
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 stunting
From stunting and weakening plant growth to delaying flower production, these 1/10th-inch-long pests can wreak havoc.
—
Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Negotiations were shelved, leading to an impasse and stunting Wilson’s development, who was recovering from keyhole ankle surgery which was worse than first thought.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 10 June 2026
The evidence In addition to animal research, there are a handful of preliminary studies in humans suggesting colostrum may improve certain forms of inflammatory bowel syndrome, gastroenteritis, and upper respiratory tract infections, as well as stunting in children.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 1 June 2026
Sunflowers contain allelopathic compounds in all of their tissues that can impact nearby plants, reducing seed germination and stunting the growth of roots and shoots.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
Bond yields around the world are rising, a spooky development that could easily weigh on economic growth by stunting consumer spending and capital investment.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 22 May 2026
The good news is that growing garlic near tomatoes can protect the harvest and keep pests from stunting the growth of your plants.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
If the winds don't blow or are light, sea breezes develop, stunting any warming, especially close to the coast.
—Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Jokic dropped his right shoulder into Wembanyama, spun away from a stunting second defender on his left pivot foot, then planted his right at the elbow for take-off.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Negotiations were shelved, leading to an impasse and stunting Wilson’s development, who was recovering from keyhole ankle surgery which was worse than first thought.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 10 June 2026
The evidence In addition to animal research, there are a handful of preliminary studies in humans suggesting colostrum may improve certain forms of inflammatory bowel syndrome, gastroenteritis, and upper respiratory tract infections, as well as stunting in children.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 1 June 2026
Sunflowers contain allelopathic compounds in all of their tissues that can impact nearby plants, reducing seed germination and stunting the growth of roots and shoots.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
Bond yields around the world are rising, a spooky development that could easily weigh on economic growth by stunting consumer spending and capital investment.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 22 May 2026
The good news is that growing garlic near tomatoes can protect the harvest and keep pests from stunting the growth of your plants.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
If the winds don't blow or are light, sea breezes develop, stunting any warming, especially close to the coast.
—Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Jokic dropped his right shoulder into Wembanyama, spun away from a stunting second defender on his left pivot foot, then planted his right at the elbow for take-off.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunting
Verb
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But the country’s key tool for suppressing the pest — a facility that breeds sterile flies to halt reproduction of the parasite — isn’t slated to begin operating until November 2027.—
Ilena Peng,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
-
The health care provider would then diagnose a player with Parkinson’s and, usually, issue a prescription for levodopa, a medicine that treats Parkinson’s by masking or suppressing symptoms.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The state takeover quickly killed momentum for the 836 extension, with GMX administrators halting a program to acquire land along the planned route.—
Douglas Hanks
June 11,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
-
In Maryland, a judge has granted a preliminary injunction halting construction activities at a Williamsport warehouse while a lawsuit is heard.—
Ryan J. Foley,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The delay also would push the removal into the middle of the night, diminishing the audience watching the event in person or on TV.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
12 June 2026
-
Once the scene resurfaced online some ten years later, internet users leveraged the phrase as a way to distinguish those who were musically superior (who had the range) and those who were not, diminishing them regardless of their popularity.—
Dr. Marcus Collins,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secertary of State Shirley Weber filed a lawsuit on Friday aimed at blocking a Shasta County ballot initiative that would set up a range of new voting rules.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
-
The bill would require an assessment of figures blocking humanitarian aid delivery, extend the authorization for the vacant Special Envoy to Sudan position, and direct the State Department to designate the Rapid Support Forces as a group for sanctions.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Bussi got the nod after stopping 18 of 19 shots in relief of Andersen in Game 3 in the third period and two overtimes.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Afterward, locals recommend stopping at Lake Hollywood Park for fresh fruit topped with Tajín and chamoy.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
But in their conversation, these top names in the industry all showed deep concern about what such changes mean for showbiz’s shrinking middle class.—
Matt Brennan
Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
America’s stockpile of emergency crude oil is shrinking fast, rapidly approaching the four-decade low set under former President Joe Biden.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
That's a massive leap in AI power, dwarfing anything that modern NPU hardware can produce.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
9 June 2026
-
Anthropic and OpenAI, too, will likely be valued at $1 trillion or more, dwarfing JPMorgan Chase and Exxon Mobil.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunting. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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