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
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
Most recently, the Of The ESSENCE Digital Cover star has been stunting in head-turning looks throughout her press tour for her upcoming film You, Me & Tuscany, out on April 10.
—Akili King, Essence, 1 Apr. 2026
In such a dense environment, a dark galaxy could arise when the older galaxies pull away star forming material from a younger one, essentially stunting its development.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026
Javadi stunting on Langdon with her follower count is my favorite thing ever.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
If the Mavericks are going to mostly stink in Flagg’s rookie season and perhaps not get much better right away next year, is this stunting his NBA growth in any way?
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 13 Jan. 2026
The officiating team then moved the line of scrimmage to where Dowdle picked the ball up, to force a second-and-17, a drive-stunting turn of events.
—Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
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
Most recently, the Of The ESSENCE Digital Cover star has been stunting in head-turning looks throughout her press tour for her upcoming film You, Me & Tuscany, out on April 10.
—Akili King, Essence, 1 Apr. 2026
In such a dense environment, a dark galaxy could arise when the older galaxies pull away star forming material from a younger one, essentially stunting its development.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026
Javadi stunting on Langdon with her follower count is my favorite thing ever.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
If the Mavericks are going to mostly stink in Flagg’s rookie season and perhaps not get much better right away next year, is this stunting his NBA growth in any way?
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 13 Jan. 2026
The officiating team then moved the line of scrimmage to where Dowdle picked the ball up, to force a second-and-17, a drive-stunting turn of events.
—Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunting
Verb
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Their basic antitrust allegation was that NCAA member schools fixed prices by limiting the number of slots for coach employees, thus suppressing opportunities and wages.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
15 May 2026
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Renovations of the House chamber will force members to meet at the Old State Capitol, where, decades ago, Mississippi lawmakers passed Jim Crow laws suppressing Black voting.—
Jack Brook,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The order sent the case back to the original court, but with direction to issue an injunction preventing the hospital from halting gender-affirming care.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
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In yesterday’s response by the EEO Leaders, the former government officials said that halting workforce data collection will undermine the EEOC’s ability to address discriminatory hiring and promotion practices.—
Michelle Travis,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Section Two of the Voting Rights Act was written to prevent diminishing the voting power of racial minorities by packing them into one district or spreading them out across many districts.—
Sarah Clifton,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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Getty Images The Philadelphia Phillies have kept many of the same players on the roster since the team’s 2022 run all the way to the World Series, though the returns have been diminishing.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Teräväinen, 31, was inches from blocking the airborne puck that Connor McDavid passed to Nathan MacKinnon for the winning goal that sent Canada past Finland and into the gold-medal game.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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Skywatchers across parts of the Pacific will see the moon pass in front of the bright star Regulus on May 23, temporarily blocking its light in a celestial event known as a lunar occultation.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Those unable to swim two lengths of the pool without stopping should have a parent remain close enough to reach them.—
Laura Berrios,
AJC.com,
19 May 2026
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The storm never fully fired, and Lisius and George eventually made their way back to Arlington, stopping for tacos along the way.—
Emily Holshouser
May 19,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Tatcha’s silky gel formula transforms into a lush lather with a little water, shrinking the appearance of pores and laying the foundation for sunscreen and makeup or your nighttime skin-care routine.—
Sarah Felbin,
Allure,
20 May 2026
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As Betty Boop became more popular, Natwick revised his design to swap the character’s floppy dog’s ears for bangle earrings and shrinking her nose.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Called the Zipang, this mega ship would have weighed in at an incredible 500,000 tonnes, dwarfing anything afloat then or since.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
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The 16-team league set a record with 87 selections, dwarfing the previous record the SEC set last year with 79.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunting. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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