as in ends
to stop the progress or spread of (something)
efforts to stem the dramatic decline of an endangered species
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Recent Examples of stems
Pests can also be particularly harmful to tender, young plant stems.
—
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Hardy hibiscus and swamp hibiscus need a cleanup pruning of the dead stems every year.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Feb. 2026
Keeping plants indoors too long increases the risk of plant edema and weak plant stems.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2026
And much like me in my youth, the Warriors’ lackluster report card stems entirely from a lack of focus.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
In his view, homelessness stems primarily from a lack of suitable housing—not from entrenched mental illness or addiction.
—Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Around the grave of one young man, his mother and grandmother quietly sob, his friends crouched down by the small mat of flower stems.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
When an intercom announces Simon has 30 minutes left to complete his task, the dominant fear stems less from narrative stakes than from the realization that there is so much movie left to go.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Pruning will also help lead to bigger fruit, as new shoots can produce flowers instead (this causes stems to grow without tomatoes), says Levi Gardner, a professor at Grand Valley State University and co-executive director of Urban Roots.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 29 Jan. 2026
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Hardy hibiscus and swamp hibiscus need a cleanup pruning of the dead stems every year.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Feb. 2026
Keeping plants indoors too long increases the risk of plant edema and weak plant stems.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2026
And much like me in my youth, the Warriors’ lackluster report card stems entirely from a lack of focus.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
In his view, homelessness stems primarily from a lack of suitable housing—not from entrenched mental illness or addiction.
—Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Around the grave of one young man, his mother and grandmother quietly sob, his friends crouched down by the small mat of flower stems.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
When an intercom announces Simon has 30 minutes left to complete his task, the dominant fear stems less from narrative stakes than from the realization that there is so much movie left to go.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Pruning will also help lead to bigger fruit, as new shoots can produce flowers instead (this causes stems to grow without tomatoes), says Levi Gardner, a professor at Grand Valley State University and co-executive director of Urban Roots.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stems
Verb
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But the movie ends when Cathy dies, distraught and brokenhearted over Heathcliff and having starved herself during her pregnancy.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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When the sun moves away from the node, the season ends, and eclipses become impossible again.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The association warned that any operational disruption that delays shipments exposes exporters to immediate financial losses and the risk of losing future orders.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Feb. 2026
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When an airport cancels or delays a flight, that means additional cargo is delayed.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to the death certificate from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, obtained by Rolling Stone, O’Hara’s immediate cause of death was a pulmonary embolism (a clot that stops blood from flowing to an artery in the lung).—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
9 Feb. 2026
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In between dancing and singing and falling backward in the hands of fellow performers, Bad Bunny stops at what looks like a bar on set to get a drink from none other than Brooklyn’s legendary owner of one of the last surviving Puerto Rican social clubs in New York City.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Should any of these conditions not be met, the contract halts and notifies all relevant parties.—
Matthew Kayser,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
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Flights at New York City at LaGuardia Airport and JFK faced slight delays and halts Saturday afternoon.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Zofran, the brand name for ondansetron, is a prescription anti-nausea medication that blocks serotonin receptors in your gut and brain that, in turn, prevents them from triggering nausea and vomiting.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
SELF,
9 Feb. 2026
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The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho announced a lawsuit in June targeting part of the law that blocks access to HIV medication.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The owners of Big Bob’s Best Pizzeria, which opened in 2011 in the Rancho Del Oro area of Oceanside, announced on Instagram last week that their business will close its doors when their 15-year lease concludes at the end of this month.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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That concludes today’s newsletter.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stems.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stems. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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