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
Relevance
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
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
Minnesota got him once in the middle of the second quarter by stunting a defensive tackle across his face to create a run-through lane for a linebacker, but Booker otherwise played a pretty clean game, assignment-wise.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
But the commission argues that the war has imposed heavy costs by hiking energy prices and stunting economic growth in the EU, which has already provided nearly 200 billion euros ($235 billion) in support to Ukraine.
—Lorne Cook, Fortune, 13 Dec. 2025
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
Minnesota got him once in the middle of the second quarter by stunting a defensive tackle across his face to create a run-through lane for a linebacker, but Booker otherwise played a pretty clean game, assignment-wise.
—Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
But the commission argues that the war has imposed heavy costs by hiking energy prices and stunting economic growth in the EU, which has already provided nearly 200 billion euros ($235 billion) in support to Ukraine.
—Lorne Cook, Fortune, 13 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunting
Verb
-
Once the expiry passes, the forces suppressing volatility will recede — leaving macroeconomics and geopolitics firmly back in control.—
Sidhartha Shukla,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The TriForce 40mm drivers deliver a dynamic listening experience with exceptional highs and deep lows, while the detachable HyperClear Cardioid mic ensures your voice is crystal clear by suppressing background noise.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ubel says some were holding out for lower prices this spring, only to see the price of the most common nitrogen fertilizer, urea, spike close to 30% when Iran shut down shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, halting close to half the world's fertilizer trade.—
Frank Morris,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The Mapletree Global Student Accommodation Private Trust, almost three years after halting regular payments to investors, finally came to an end on March 16, according to documents seen by Bloomberg News.—
Low De Wei,
Bloomberg,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, the need for RTGs was laid bare by Curiosity and Perseverance's predecessors, the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which were purely solar powered but suffered from diminishing power as Martian dust covered their solar arrays.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Without sufficient funds, the upkeep of these amenities may decline, potentially lowering property values and diminishing residents’ quality of life.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The staffers have also been blocking driveways, forcing WGA managers to wait for several minutes before entering or exiting the SAG-AFTRA parking garage.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The military conflict is blocking the flow of oil and natural gas and impacting the availability of fertilizers derived from those products, according to industry groups.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After months of due process, in addition to appeals sought by Fort Worth ISD officials, the district was unsuccessful in stopping the state takeover from happening.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
-
That tells us the damage from stopping isn't fully reversible, and that has real implications for the millions of people cycling on and off these drugs.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Too often, workers change jobs and cash out small accounts rather than rolling them over — permanently shrinking their retirement nest egg.—
Chris Mahoney,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Even as documentary producers warn of tightening financing and shrinking commissioning budgets, the pipeline of new films shows little sign of slowing.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
