1
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
the seemingly endless parade finally ended, and the drummers and tuba players stumped wearily to their buses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in daring
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat
when my grandfather was a kid, he and his friends would stump one another to dive into the local swimming hole
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stumping
Frenzel has been stumping in favor of data center buildup and in April said that if done correctly, such centers could help bring down the cost of electricity for its customers.
—
Steve Gelsi,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
What this entailed was gaining as much reliable information about the Soviet military as possible while stumping for an open skies policy that would allow overflights by both sides of the other's territory to prevent accidental war.
—
David Szondy
march 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
But one skin dilemma that’s stumping even me is why everyone thinks their skin looks so dull right now.
—
Jacqueline Kilikita,
Refinery29,
20 Jan. 2026
After successfully stumping Consuelos with a bit of trivia of her own, a contestant named Rachel was then tasked with answering a question about recent Live guest and Virgin River actress Alexandra Breckenridge.
—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Others like Taylor Swift, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jane Fonda offered simple endorsements without stumping for the vice president.
—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, Donald Washberg is stumping dressed like Will Rogers at the Ziegfeld Follies.
—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
With a national fundraising blitz in full swing and Election Day just around the corner, Democrats stumping for Proposition 50 have far out-raised and out-spent their opponents — even though a California megadonor with Republican ties single-handedly spent $30 million to defeat it.
—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
25 Oct. 2025
There is such a gap between the sides that Phil Mickelson is out here stumping for Mike Krzyzewski and 88-year-old Lou Holtz.
—
Hugh Kellenberger,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Steve Gelsi,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
What this entailed was gaining as much reliable information about the Soviet military as possible while stumping for an open skies policy that would allow overflights by both sides of the other's territory to prevent accidental war.
—
David Szondy
march 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
But one skin dilemma that’s stumping even me is why everyone thinks their skin looks so dull right now.
—
Jacqueline Kilikita,
Refinery29,
20 Jan. 2026
After successfully stumping Consuelos with a bit of trivia of her own, a contestant named Rachel was then tasked with answering a question about recent Live guest and Virgin River actress Alexandra Breckenridge.
—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Others like Taylor Swift, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jane Fonda offered simple endorsements without stumping for the vice president.
—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Nov. 2025
Elsewhere, Donald Washberg is stumping dressed like Will Rogers at the Ziegfeld Follies.
—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
With a national fundraising blitz in full swing and Election Day just around the corner, Democrats stumping for Proposition 50 have far out-raised and out-spent their opponents — even though a California megadonor with Republican ties single-handedly spent $30 million to defeat it.
—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
25 Oct. 2025
There is such a gap between the sides that Phil Mickelson is out here stumping for Mike Krzyzewski and 88-year-old Lou Holtz.
—
Hugh Kellenberger,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumping
Verb
-
Enola dutifully trudges between clues and possibilities, shuffling through crime scenes and racing around shady spaces, all of this much more paint-by-numbers than connect-the-dots.
-
Colombia is trying its luck from distance, but Costa has been equal to each shot, first punching away Jefferson Lerma's rocket from the right, about 25 yards out, and then shuffling his feet to his left and catching Jhon Arias's shot from about the same distance.
Verb
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The year-old eastern imperial eagle from Serbia, started flying in August and later set off on his first migratory flight toward the Middle East, only to be captured by poachers, sold illegally and retrieved in a daring cross-border mission.
-
This fast-paced, 60-minute performance puts a fresh spin on the classic one-ring circus, blending daring feats with playful mischief and Circus Bella’s signature sparkle with the Circus Bella All-Star Band’s live music.
Verb
-
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also fallen foul of Germany’s World Cup elimination by Paraguay, after stumbling into a social media debacle following a communications blunder.
-
There's been some stumbling plays, thwarted by tripping and dramatic falls.
Verb
-
Are the needs of another challenging your emotional state?
-
Amid a challenging macroeconomic climate, American design furniture conglomerate MillerKnoll swung to a positive net earnings position in its fiscal fourth quarter.
Verb
-
The name Chelydra serpentina evokes colossal reptiles stomping through ancient forests.
-
That feeling solidified during their solo date, which included stomping grapes, exploring a winery and making a promise to open a special bottle of wine together one year later.
Cite this Entry
“Stumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumping. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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