1
a
: a compartment for a domestic animal in a stable or barn
b
: a space marked off for parking a motor vehicle
2
a
: a seat in the chancel of a church with back and sides wholly or partly enclosed
b
: a church pew
c
chiefly British
: a front orchestra seat in a theater
—usually used in plural
3
: a booth, stand, or counter at which articles are displayed for sale
4
: a protective sheath for a finger or toe
5
: a small compartment
a shower stall
especially
: one with a toilet or urinal
stalled; stalling; stalls
1
: to put into or keep in a stall
2
obsolete
: install sense 2
1
: to come to a standstill (as from mired wheels or engine failure)
2
: to experience a stall in flying
: the condition of an airfoil or aircraft in which excessive angle of attack causes disruption of airflow with attendant loss of lift
: a ruse to deceive or delay
stalled; stalling; stalls
: to play for time : delay
: to hold off, divert, or delay by evasion or deception
Synonyms
Examples of stall in a Sentence
Verb (1)
endless complaints stalled the process of selecting the winning design for the memorial
the engine stalls sometimes when it's very cold outside
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Boeing shares rose nearly two percent after union workers approved a new contract, ending a seven-week strike that had stalled production lines.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
But, the job growth stall in October has the potential to hurt her argument that the economic is improving, while Democrats have voiced frustrations that Harris’s economic message hasn’t broken through to voters.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stall 
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Verb
But an arriving cold front helped stall that fire’s progress.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Boeing shares rose nearly two percent after union workers approved a new contract, ending a seven-week strike that had stalled production lines.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
Stroll through the market stalls, discovering unique, handcrafted treasures like sparkling ornaments, intricate wooden toys and exquisite jewelry.
—Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
But, the job growth stall in October has the potential to hurt her argument that the economic is improving, while Democrats have voiced frustrations that Harris’s economic message hasn’t broken through to voters.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stall
Dictionary Entries Near stall
Cite this Entry
“Stall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stall. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stall
1 of 5 noun1
: a compartment for a domestic animal in a stable or barn
2
a
: a seat in the choir of a church with back and sides wholly or partly enclosed
b
chiefly British
: a front orchestra seat in a theater
—usually used in plural
3
: a booth, stand, or counter at which articles are displayed for sale
4
: a small compartment
a shower stall
especially
: one with a toilet or urinal
stall
2 of 5 verb1
: to put into or keep in a stall
2
: to stop or cause to stop usually by accident
stall an engine
3
: to experience or cause (an aircraft) to experience a stall in flying
stall
3 of 5 noun
: the condition of an aircraft or a wing of an aircraft in which lift is lost and the aircraft or wing tends to drop
stall
4 of 5 noun
: a trick to deceive or delay
stall
5 of 5 verb
: to distract attention or make excuses to gain time
try to stall them until I get the place cleaned up
Etymology
Noun
Old English steall "stall for an animal"
Noun
an altered form of earlier stale "lure"
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