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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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
  1. suppressing
  2. halting
  3. diminishing
  4. blocking
  5. stopping
  6. shrinking
  7. dwarfing
Verb
  • In that sense, emotional intelligence becomes less about suppressing feelings than directing them productively.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The men now rising through the security establishment have spent their careers confronting enemies abroad and suppressing dissent at home.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppressing
Verb
  • The Bills, Erie County and New York State agreed on a new stadium deal in March 2022 that brought a record $850 million of public funding, halting any talk of relocating the franchise.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The two countries struck a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at halting the conflict, restoring shipping traffic, launching negotiations over Iran's nuclear program and eventually loosening sanctions on Iran.
    — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of halting
Verb
  • Similar ads run the risk of diminishing the ownership experience for some BMW buyers and reduce their sense of control over the driving experience.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The pollution is expected to drift into the Bay Area, stealthily diminishing air quality without the signature campfire smell associated with wildfire smoke, according to Anthony Edwards, the San Francisco Chronicle’s newsroom meteorologist.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminishing
Verb
  • The trailer then came to a rest, blocking the eastbound lanes of C-470.
    — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This happens when the moon passes in front of the sun, completely blocking it from our perspective here on Earth.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of blocking
Verb
  • Campione said her campaign was focused on protecting rural lands from being annexed into cities for rural subdivisions and stopping activities that could ruin water quality or override property rights.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Head south towards the River Douro, stopping to see sights such as the famed azulejo tiles in São Bento station and the cathedral along the way.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of stopping
Verb
  • The 2025 report found that the Arctic experienced its warmest year on record, fueling melting glaciers, shrinking sea ice, and shifts in local ecosystems.
    — Daniel Peck, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Given China’s shrinking labor force and the effects of overproduction and climate change on its arable land, Beijing is likely to remain reliant on foreign food products in the coming years.
    — Caitlin Welsh, Foreign Affairs, 11 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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Cite this Entry

“Stunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunting. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stunting for Spanish Speakers

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