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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of stunting And the factors pushing people out of the labor force have implications beyond workers paying for everyday essentials, including stunting career trajectories and impacting long-term retirement savings. — Sarah Jackson jennifer Liu, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026 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 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

Some popular advice suggests parents on appetite-suppressing medication simply not talk about it or offer vague statements about taking care of their health.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
In that sense, emotional intelligence becomes less about suppressing feelings than directing them productively.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of suppressing

Verb

Later that month, the state and county asked the court for a temporary injunction halting the project while the case proceeds.

— Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
The United States Army is temporarily halting all Apache helicopter training flights after a crash this week near Fort Hood, Texas, killed two soldiers.

— Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of halting

Verb

Several Gulf countries have already announced plans to expand or build new pipeline capacity to evade the Strait of Hormuz, likely diminishing its importance as a chokepoint within several years.

— Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
But each step up the sanctions ladder brings greater diplomatic costs — and diminishing certainty that additional economic damage will translate into political concessions.

— Magdalena Del Valle, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of diminishing

Verb

The train began blocking the crossing on Tuesday morning, forcing drivers to find alternate routes.

— Terell Bailey, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
The first of those state-court eligibility decisions, granted in Ohio in early July, was paused by an appeals court this week, blocking it from taking effect.

— Justin Williams, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of blocking

Verb

Unlike American sports, where franchises are locked into profitable leagues, there will always be the threat of relegation and shrinking revenues that trouble those considering entry into the English game.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
The most significant signal from the baijiu company’s latest financial report is that the value of Moutai in business negotiations is shrinking, said Dongfang Li, an independent stock analyst.

— Evelyn Cheng,Jenny Lee, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of shrinking

Verb

Outside groups spent more than $63 million supporting Haley Stevens, a candidate backed by the establishment, dwarfing the amount spent on her opponent, a brash progressive named Abdul El-Sayed with a war chest some nine times smaller.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 5 Aug. 2026
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

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 22 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of stunting

verb

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