stunt

1 of 4

verb (1)

stunted; stunting; stunts

transitive verb

: to hinder the normal growth, development, or progress of
stuntedness noun

stunt

2 of 4

noun (1)

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

stunt

3 of 4

noun (2)

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

stunt

4 of 4

verb (2)

stunted; stunting; stunts

intransitive verb

: to perform or engage in a stunt

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
But when asked about his memories of spending time in Cincinnati, and Ohio in general, one stunt comes to mind. David Wysong, The Enquirer, 2 Nov. 2024 While Vice President Kamala Harris makes a case against former President Donald Trump and a case for unity, Trump is pulling out all the stops (and stunts) to get those middle-class Americans to vote Trump once again. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
Regularly eating these plants, with their fiber and anti-inflammatory properties, works to gradually stunt cancerous growth over the years. Matt Fuchs, TIME, 10 Oct. 2024 Refrain from letting persuasive offers stunt your desire to follow your dreams and build your own future. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stunt 

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

English dialect stunt stubborn, stunted, abrupt, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse stuttr scant — more at stint entry 1

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1583, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stunt was in 1583

Dictionary Entries Near stunt

Cite this Entry

“Stunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stunt. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids 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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