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
  • Mukhopadhyay said the minister’s resignation has made people less fearful of protesting against a government that critics have long accused of suppressing dissent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Saharan Dust Saharan dust is another factor suppressing activity.
    — Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppressing
Verb
  • Under such an approach, negotiations would focus first on halting the production and advancement of nuclear weapons, rather than demanding the dismantlement of North Korea's existing arsenal at the outset.
    — Se Eun Gong, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Mail-in ballots in Kansas will have three days after Election Day to arrive at election offices after the Kansas Court of Appeals upheld an earlier decision halting the new law that would remove the grace period.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 31 July 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 Besselian Elements team has added terrain shadows at totality time, but also a way of recognizing that the clouds blocking an eclipse may not actually be above the observer.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Under the new campaign, vehicles that present a traffic hazard, such as blocking traffic lanes, walkways, fire hydrants, or driveways will be removed and impounded.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of blocking
Verb
  • Nikki Rodriguez’s character might still technically be dating Alex, but that isn’t stopping her from flirting with his brother after confessing her love in the season 2 finale.
    — Kat Pettibone, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The flight originated in El Paso, Texas, after stopping at Opa-locka Executive Airport in Miami-Dade County.
    — Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of stopping
Verb
  • In its first quarterly report since offering shares to the public, Elon Musk's SpaceX announced soaring revenues and shrinking losses — but still not a profit.
    — John Ruwitch, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Sales of both gas and electric water heaters grew about 11% in the same time period, showing that gas isn’t shrinking, but electric is edging ahead.
    — Jennifer Castenson, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of shrinking
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

Browse Nearby Words

stunted
stunting
stunts
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Cite this Entry

“Stunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunting. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stunting for Spanish Speakers

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