1
as in shuffles
to move heavily or clumsily
the seemingly endless parade finally ended, and the drummers and tuba players stumped wearily to their buses
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dares
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat
when my grandfather was a kid, he and his friends would stump one another to dive into the local swimming hole
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Recent Examples of stumps
Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2025
This approach addresses the transparent bottle problem that stumps traditional systems.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
In the forest, stumps become nurse logs that feed fungi and other key players in the biome.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumps
Verb
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That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.—
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In front of me, as various motors rev up to speed, the robot shuffles in place, looking like an arthritic boxer readying for a fight.—
Verb
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This season dares us to decide if their hookup is a betrayal or the most honest thing either of them have done all series.—
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If someone else dares to attempt to do any of these tasks, then all hell breaks loose!—
Noun
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Many cultures have practiced cremation, and the bones, ash and other residues from these events help archaeologists piece together past funeral rituals.—
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Researchers detected pesticide residues in honey collected far from industrial farms.—
Verb
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The sequel, which has the Ghostbusters facing off with the spirit of Vigo the Carpathian and his profoundly negative vibes, ends in a joyous celebration that brings the Big Apple together while an animated Statue of Liberty stomps to the rescue.—
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The guy just f****** stomps right on my face.—
Verb
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January challenges you to reconcile comfort with growth.—
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It’s been framing its fight against Disney as one for consumers, a case that challenges the old guard’s pricing playbook.—
Verb
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Ennin gets up and stumbles down the block before collapsing next to a building.—
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There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.—
Verb
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Cocoa powder often clumps in its container.—
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Young stars form within collapsing clouds of gas and dust, which flatten into broad protoplanetary disks where material gradually clumps into larger bodies.—
Noun
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Chaplin holds many vestiges of its former ownership, from an old saw mill and furnace from when Chaplin was making his films, to his footsteps, to a gigantic set of muppet eyes overlooking the soundstage room.—
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When in American history have all the wheels fallen off the cart because our highest officials and the Supreme Court itself have decided to ignore and eliminate vestiges of the Constitution?—
Cite this Entry
“Stumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumps. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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