STUNTING Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

stunting

verb

present participle of stunt

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 Aid agencies warn the Iran war and Nigeria’s inflation could push millions more African children into poverty this year, stunting development and deepening a humanitarian crisis with far-reaching global consequences. — Ope Adetayo, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunting

Verb

What is left of a sprawling state apparatus is capable of little more than paying poverty wages to its employees, running hospitals with dwindling supplies, and suppressing any popular challenge to the heirs of Chavez.

— Rafael Osío Cabrices, Time, 20 July 2026
The ground robots established a support-by-fire position, suppressing the Russian defenders and forcing them to remain under cover.

— Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of suppressing

Verb

Earlier in the day, the sharp decline in the Kospi prompted the Korea Exchange to activate a sell-side sidecar on the index, temporarily halting program trading.

— Sean Conlon,Hugh Leask,Justina Lee, CNBC, 19 July 2026
Turk filed for bankruptcy in June 2025 — halting any litigation from moving forward without permission from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas.

— Taylor O'Connor July 17, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026

Definition of halting

Verb

Weakening high pressure to our east is slowly reducing scorching hot temperatures from earlier this week and diminishing the monsoonal moisture that provided unseasonable rain showers and thunderstorms.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
In Miami-Dade, the transit system faces financial woes Aside from diminishing Miami-Dade’s transit ambitions, the Levine Cava plan also highlights the dire financial picture facing mass transit in the county.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Definition of diminishing

Verb

Vokolek was blocking during a kickoff and landed awkwardly after hitting a Colts player.

— Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026
This judge's conduct overrides clear longstanding principles and common sense -- blocking the grand jury from receiving core evidence in a national security investigation.

— Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of blocking

Verb

As of Tuesday morning, total trading across World Cup contracts had exceeded $25 billion—dwarfing volumes seen in other major sports markets, including roughly $2 billion for the NBA finals and $1 billion for the Super Bowl.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 17 July 2026
But around half of its shares will be unlocked from now until December, dwarfing what’s currently available.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 16 July 2026

Definition of dwarfing

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stunted

stunting

stunts

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“Stunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunting. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of stunting

verb

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