1
as in shuffles
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dares
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 stumps
Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 25 May 2026
Ancient artifacts found beneath Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as one mystery still stumps researchers.
—FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
David Hogg stumps for Mai Vang in 7th District primary.
—Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026
In 1938, Pennington pitched a tent outside the hiring hall for workers building the Shasta Dam, set up some tree stumps for seats and started hawking grub.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Also, check rocks, stumps or logs before sitting down.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
This is because tendons that normally curl the toes downward (such as when cats knead your lap) pull on the amputation stumps so that the stumps rub on the ground, and no mechanism remains to oppose that action.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
For more than two months, a helicopter has been hard at work removing dead trees and stumps from the reservoir using a special device.
—Olivia Young, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
During the day, the birds lie motionless on the ground, blending into piles of leaves and tree stumps to hide from predators.
—Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
Or arrange a bunch of tree stumps around a fire pit to create seating that the kids will love.
—Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 25 May 2026
Ancient artifacts found beneath Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as one mystery still stumps researchers.
—FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
David Hogg stumps for Mai Vang in 7th District primary.
—Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026
In 1938, Pennington pitched a tent outside the hiring hall for workers building the Shasta Dam, set up some tree stumps for seats and started hawking grub.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Also, check rocks, stumps or logs before sitting down.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
This is because tendons that normally curl the toes downward (such as when cats knead your lap) pull on the amputation stumps so that the stumps rub on the ground, and no mechanism remains to oppose that action.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
For more than two months, a helicopter has been hard at work removing dead trees and stumps from the reservoir using a special device.
—Olivia Young, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
During the day, the birds lie motionless on the ground, blending into piles of leaves and tree stumps to hide from predators.
—Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumps
Verb
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At the sound of morning prayers, an older Clarissa awakens from this dream and shuffles out to her lawn, where the leafy bush has been replaced with the industrial skyline of Lagos.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Amazon show dares to dream that romantic love need not be a clash of wills.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
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Her healing skills soon prove invaluable, but her wild, curious nature unsettles the monks as an evil count threatens to destroy anyone who dares protect her.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Onions Onions are frequently included in studies among produce items with relatively low pesticide residues.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
10 June 2026
-
The trash may be full of sticky residues, sweet liquids, and food scraps that wasps like.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Suddenly, the trees part and a Tyrannosaurus rex stomps into view.—
RJ Mackenzie,
Popular Science,
11 June 2026
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Set in the evening, the scene broods as an unknown figure, only identifiable by his terrible Lego haircut and furry boots, stomps toward the Stallion Saloon.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The Holy Spirit challenges us today regarding our relationship with technology and the ongoing digital revolution.—
Pope Leo XIV,
Boston Herald,
9 June 2026
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The New York Fed analysis challenges the popular narrative that artificial intelligence is the primary driver of sluggish entry-level hiring.—
Bill Pan,
Baltimore Sun,
9 June 2026
Noun
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The wall drawings also contain erasure marks, vestiges of the artist’s false starts and corrections.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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In a follow-up exam conducted six years after the infection, vestiges of the virus’s RNA were found in the man’s semen.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
Verb
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After a rocky start, Joey stumbles on some talents and goes to great lengths to impress Leonard in his audition for a play.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 June 2026
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The first robot stumbles on aluminum debris, its wheels furiously trying to get traction and move around the obstacle.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
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As the Khairas were moving into their new brick colonial, which already felt steeped in another era, workers began dismantling the old backyard carousel and other remnants of a private fairy-tale landscape.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
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This photo provided by Kylie Rouse shows the remnants of Shane and Jimmie Tipton's home in Unionville, Missouri, on June 10, 2026, after a tornado struck.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumps. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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