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
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
Roots become dehydrated, and water stress causes stunting, deformities, and dieback.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 29 Dec. 2025
The additional fiber in the whole grains further slows your body's absorption of carbs, stunting blood sugar spikes.
—Jenna Anderson, Health, 22 Dec. 2025
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
Roots become dehydrated, and water stress causes stunting, deformities, and dieback.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 29 Dec. 2025
The additional fiber in the whole grains further slows your body's absorption of carbs, stunting blood sugar spikes.
—Jenna Anderson, Health, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunting
Verb
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In this study, scientists determined that combining FAK-inhibiting drugs with immunotherapy and chemotherapy yielded the best results in mice in suppressing tumor growth, attracting tumor-fighting immune cells and extending survival.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Eggs Protein is more satiating than fat or carbohydrates, and your body absorbs protein from eggs particularly well, stimulating PYY and GLP-1, while suppressing ghrelin.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Meaningful regime change, halting Iran's nuclear ambitions, and dismantling its ballistic missile program are all very much an open question, with some analysts saying the war has led to an even more hardline government in Tehran that may be more determined to pursue nuclear weapons.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2026
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Both countries have portrayed the agreement as a victory, but since then, Israel declared the largest coordinated strike in Lebanon and Iran responded by halting oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, semi-official news agency Fars reported.—
Riane Lumer,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Blue Lagoon Cruises said pumpable fuel as well as other oils stored onboard the ship had been removed by Monday, diminishing environmental risks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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But the distinctions between these visions of the world are diminishing.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Residents can protect against the disease by using flea-control treatments on pets year-round, avoiding handling or feeding stray animals, and keeping wildlife away with security trash cans and blocking entry points and hiding places on residential properties.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
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While there wasn’t a 7-foot-4 obstacle blocking the lane, the Clippers still couldn’t get out of their own way and lost to the Spurs for the third time in less than a month, 118-99, at the Intuit Dome.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Peanut cannot smell, but caregivers say that limitation does not appear to be stopping him from adjusting to his new surroundings.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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There are 81 rooms in total, ranging from classic doubles to one-bedroom apartments, while the show-stopping penthouse suite has a dining table for eight, a dressing room and an enormous 130-square-metre rooftop terrace with a private sauna and cold plunge pool overlooking Fitzrovia.—
Siobhan Grogan,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Connecticut hospitals were struggling due to the provider tax and shrinking federal support well before the coronavirus pandemic placed them under unprecedented economic strain in 2020 and 2021.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
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But despite this compact, which the states are renegotiating in 2026, the basin’s water supply is shrinking.—
Dave White,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s roughly the length of a large pickup truck, dwarfing most crocodilian species alive today.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Mar. 2026
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Today, Starbucks has more than 32,000 stores in 80 countries, dwarfing other chains like Dunkin’ Donuts, which has about 14,000 stores globally.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunting. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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