stoop

1 of 3

verb

ˈstüp 

stooped; stooping; stoops

intransitive verb

1

a

: to bend the body or a part of the body forward and downward sometimes simultaneously bending the knees

b

: to stand or walk with a forward inclination of the head, body, or shoulders

2

: yield, submit

3

a

: to descend from a superior rank, dignity, or status

b

: to lower oneself morally

stooped to lying

4

a

archaic : to move down from a height : alight

b

: to fly or dive down swiftly usually to attack prey

transitive verb

1

: debase, degrade

2

: to bend (a part of the body) forward and downward

stoop

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

a

: an act of bending the body forward

b

: a temporary or habitual forward bend of the back and shoulders

2

: the descent of a bird especially on its prey

3

: a lowering of oneself

stoop

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a porch, platform, entrance stairway, or small veranda at a house door

Synonyms

Verb

• condescend
• deign

Noun (2)

• gallery [Southern & Midland]
• lanai
• piazza [dialect]
• porch
• veranda
• verandah

Examples of stoop in a Sentence

Verb

She stooped down to hug the child.

He had to stoop to pick it up.

He tends to stoop as he walks.

He really did that? I didn't think he could stoop so low.

Noun (2)

the stoop at the front entrance is just big enough to shield a resident from the elements as he fumbles for his keys

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

First, Eric Garcia stoops to head home a cross in the 19th minute. —Tomás Hill López-Menchero, New York Times, 14 May 2025

One that clings to status, and one that stoops to serve. —Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025

Noun

On the ground, too, the city is a spectacle: sit on any stoop, or at any sidewalk café, and take in the sounds of man and machine, the polychromatics of the auto garages and the shoppy shops, the endless side scroll of cars and foot traffic. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 May 2025

In Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a historic stoop has turned into an unexpected floral sensation—no real flowers involved. —Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English stoupen, from Old English stūpian; akin to Swedish stupa to fall, plunge, Old English stēap steep, deep

Noun (2)

Dutch stoep; akin to Old English stæpe step — more at step

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1571, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1755, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stoop

• descend/sink/stoop to someone's level
• stoop labor

Rhymes for stoop

• coop
• coupe
• croup
• droop
• drupe
• dupe
• group
• hoop
• loop
• lupe
• oop
• poop

Kids Definition

stoop

1 of 3 verb

ˈstüp 

1

a

: to bend down or over

b

: to stand or walk with the head and shoulders or the upper part of the body bent forward

2

: to degrade oneself

stoop to lying

stoop

2 of 3 noun

1

: an act of bending the body forward

2

: a forward bend of the back and shoulders that is temporary or by habit

stoop

3 of 3 noun

: a porch, platform, or entrance stairway at a house door

Etymology

Verb

Old English stūpian "to stoop, bend over"

Noun

from Dutch stoep "porch, stoop"