stunted; stunting; stunts
: to hinder the normal growth, development, or progress of
stuntedness
noun
1
: one (such as an animal) that is stunted
2
: a check in growth
3
: a disease of plants (such as corn) in which dwarfing occurs
1
: an unusual or difficult feat requiring great skill or daring
especially
: one performed or undertaken chiefly to gain attention or publicity
2
: a shifting or switching of the positions by defensive players at the line of scrimmage in football to disrupt the opponent's blocking efforts
Synonyms
Verb (1)
Noun (2)
Examples of stunt in a Sentence
Verb (1)
unfortunately, an unusually dry summer seems to have permanently stunted the tree
Noun (2)
performs mental stunts, such as pronouncing words backwards as soon as you say them
Recent Examples on the Web
Abby Monteil, Them, 26 Nov. 2024
In a clip shared on his Instagram, Hemsworth could be seen demonstrating how to kick off the stunt while inside what appeared to be a gym.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024
Chris Morris, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024
Today, bison—also heavy grazers—roam where elk used to; drought has stunted some aspen; beaver are beginning to return.
—Byvirginia Morell, science.org, 23 Oct. 2024
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Noun
But if her recent stunts have read like a cheap ploy to ingratiate herself to our virulently anti-trans incoming president, cabinet, and staff, the rapid escalation of her own anti-trans rhetoric certainly lends to that theory.
—Verb
Pizza Hut hardly has the sole claim to stunt foods.
—Articles Related to stunt
Dictionary Entries Near stunt
Cite this Entry
“Stunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stunt. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
stunt
1 of 3 verb
: to hold back the normal growth, development, or progress of
stunt
2 of 3 noun
: an unusual or difficult feat performed or attempted usually to gain attention or publicity
stunt
3 of 3 verb
: to perform stunts
Etymology
Verb
from a dialect word stunt "stubborn, abrupt, stunted," probably of Scandinavian origin
Noun
origin unknown
Medical Definition
stunt
transitive verb
: to hinder the normal growth, development, or progress of
an emotionally stunted child
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