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
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
Warning signs include yellowing within a week of infestation, purpling or reddening of leaves, stunting despite adequate moisture, weakening root systems and patchy areas of thinning or dead grass.
—Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Refrain from pruning more than 20% to 30% of the plant at one time to avoid shocking and stunting its growth.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Dec. 2025
Chronic malnutrition – or stunting – has remained persistently high in the camps, at around 41%, UNICEF says.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunting
Verb
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There’s plenty to like about both veteran pitchers and reason to believe that competing in a home run-suppressing environment will allow their attributes to play up.—
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Foulk argued Barrett was suppressing evidence by preventing the state from presenting certain tax returns and Illinois Department of Revenue testimony.—
Verb
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Their lack of insight into their adversaries’ intelligence capability makes these militiamen demonstrably ineffectual at halting intelligence breaches.—
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The Administration also scaled back mRNA vaccine projects aimed at advancing the development of countermeasures for public health emergencies, halting 22 projects worth nearly $500 million that involved contracts with major pharmaceutical companies such as Moderna and Pfizer.—
Verb
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Before the night was out, Germans began chipping away at the barrier, carrying off chunks of one of the symbols of the diminishing Iron Curtain.—
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Business leaders say that such policies risk accelerating an exodus of companies, diminishing the city’s commercial tax base, and ultimately affecting services and jobs essential to millions of New Yorkers.—
Verb
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In the 47-second video, the agent can be seen walking around Good’s maroon Honda Pilot, which is in the middle of the street blocking traffic.—
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The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension accuses the FBI of blocking it from accessing evidence in the investigation.—
Verb
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The Rhode founder and her stylist Dani Michele delivered a show-stopping moment on the red carpet, pulling a shimmering 2009 Armani Privé gown from the archives.—
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Stroll through the Funk Zone, stopping at wineries, breweries, and local shops along the way.—
Verb
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Scientists believe that shrinking this laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) technology could eventually allow these diagnostic tools to be installed directly at large-scale fusion facilities.—
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That’s a relatively small slice of the pie, and it’s been shrinking in recent years as interest rates have gone up.—
Verb
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Despite Oregon’s offense dwarfing that of Texas Tech from a yardage standpoint 198 to 88, the Raiders limited the Ducks to just six points — in large part due to curbing both fourth-down attempts.—
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Data centers are popping up from coast to coast, in cities and rural areas, some in sizes and processing capacities dwarfing those planned for San Jose.—
Cite this Entry
“Stunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunting. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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