stunted 1 of 2

adjective

as in dwarf

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stunted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of stunt
as in suppressed
to hold back the normal growth of unfortunately, an unusually dry summer seems to have permanently stunted the tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 stunted
Adjective
The plant's entire growth is stunted, and fruit production is poor. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 July 2026 Pests Yellowing or shriveled leaves and stunted growth can also be signs of pests. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 The link between violent spectacle and the pardon power is a long-standing one, but here, again, ambition has been stunted. — Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026 The stunted musical ambitions of Wadsworth’s father and grandfather echo in the four songs on the third EP in fall. — Steve Hochman, SPIN, 22 June 2026 There was something puritanical and stunted in all of this critical handwringing. — Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026 When temperatures soar and rain is absent from the forecast, your fruit trees may suffer from excessive water loss, sunburn on the leaves, and stunted growth, all of which can disrupt the likelihood of future harvests. — Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026
Verb
The rap has certainly stunted the price of the stock. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 14 June 2026 Beans Some gardeners find their pole beans stunted by sunflowers, but other types of beans may be an even bigger problem. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 May 2026 Hannah is recovering from a traumatic event at high school that’s stunted her ability to write songs, putting her scholarship at risk. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026 The former child star had a lifelong kidney condition that stunted his growth and led to numerous health complications throughout his life. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026 Unlike his three sisters, Branwell, his artistic career stunted by alcoholism and an opium addiction, never published. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2026 For students whose school years were stunted by the COVID-19 pandemic, turning to social media for information can be natural. — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026 This lack of competition has stunted the organizational capacity of both the Democratic and Republican Parties, rendering them hollow and unable to cultivate, train, or support a pipeline of young candidates. — Peter Gosselin, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 There were high hopes for the 2024 Big East Conference Player of the Year when former general manager Monte McNair drafted Carter, but his growth was stunted by a shoulder injury and a logjam in Sacramento’s backcourt. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunted
  1. dwarf
  2. suppressed
  3. scrubby
  4. dwarfed
  5. tiny
  6. halted
  7. puny
  8. diminished
Adjective
  • These semi-dwarf shrubs have a nice, rounded form that maxes out at 4 or 5 feet wide and tall.
    — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 23 June 2026
  • Until then, the two dwarf galaxy siblings will stick together, even if the big brother does continue to pick on the little one.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 7 June 2026
Definition of dwarf
Verb
  • The air force said that 37 missiles and 326 drones were shot down or otherwise suppressed, with impacts of 29 missiles and 18 drones reported across 34 locations.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 6 July 2026
  • Security forces suppressed the protests in a bloody crackdown that killed thousands.
    — Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of suppressed
Adjective
  • Other worthy state parks to check out include Seabranch Preserve State Park, where there are six miles of hiking and biking trails that take visitors through sand pine scrub, scrubby flatwoods, and a mangrove swamp, and Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park, a great spot for birding.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
  • The landscape is baked and scrubby.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 22 May 2026
Definition of scrubby
Verb
  • The scale of the AI boom, the report showed, has dwarfed past bubbles, including the spread of railways and the internet.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 28 June 2026
  • But the impact of that seismic shock has dwarfed just how handily Sinner was beating Cerúndolo until his body betrayed him.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of dwarfed
Adjective
  • Even tiny electromagnetic disturbances can disrupt the quantum states that perform calculations, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the system.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • What Uranus will look like Uranus should resemble a tiny greenish star and will appear only about 1/63 as bright as Mars.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of tiny
Verb
  • Kyle Stowers went 4-for-5 with two homers, three RBI and three runs for the Marlins, who halted a two-game slide.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • The third round was halted for about an hour because of a late storm.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of halted
Adjective
  • One of the most astute plot points involves the Minions finding early success as actors in Hollywood during the silent era but then losing their status as the talkies took over, revealing their puny, screechy voices.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • The magnitude of Prince Jacerys’s death was lost in the tumult of battle last week; compared to watching Vermax’s colossal frame be swallowed by the sea, the sight of a sinking boy, puny and fragile, struggled to pack a cinematic punch.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of puny
Verb
  • But later, when the same image appeared alongside a photo of someone the participant relied on for support, like a partner, parent, or friend, the fear response diminished.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s great rival, who is forty-one and diminished, showed the danger of staying too long.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Definition of diminished

Browse Nearby Words

stunt
stunted
stunting
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Cite this Entry

“Stunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunted. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stunted for Spanish Speakers

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