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
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
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
During the screening, the audience squirmed in their seats, gasping many times at the jaw-dropping stunts and quite shocking injuries that occurred, and ultimately, standing to applaud at the end as five of the seven Storror members and Bay left the crowd to head backstage.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Ticked Off, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025
Incompatible vegetable groupings can stunt growth, invite pests and diseases, and negatively impact flavor.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stunt
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Noun
There were all these incredible stunt performers just throwing themselves across the room.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
During the screening, the audience squirmed in their seats, gasping many times at the jaw-dropping stunts and quite shocking injuries that occurred, and ultimately, standing to applaud at the end as five of the seven Storror members and Bay left the crowd to head backstage.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
That stunts growth and cuts off buds that would otherwise produce the beautiful full flowering displays of natural azalea.
—Ticked Off, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025
Incompatible vegetable groupings can stunt growth, invite pests and diseases, and negatively impact flavor.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stunt
Articles Related to stunt
Cite this Entry
“Stunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stunt. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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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