1
as in stout
being compact and broad in build and often short in stature
dumpy little toddlers growing into lanky children
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
we could only find rooms at a dumpy motel on the outskirts of the city
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dumpy
The amazing thing is that, for all the history that came through its doors, KCR was a dumpy little studio with a broadcast board on the way out.
—
Dante Ross, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2023
Yes, the mall is underperforming, and in the middle of the concourse, there are too many dumpy little kiosks selling souvenirs.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Feb. 2023
She’s not allowed to be anything more than the dumpy friend on TV.
—Sarah Madaus, SELF, 3 Feb. 2023
Goloborodko’s once disappointed father (Viktor Saraykin) is suddenly beaming with pride and determined to renovate the family’s dumpy apartment in palatial style (and to evict neighboring tenants, until his wife objects).
—David Klion, The New Republic, 7 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dumpy
Dante Ross, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2023
Yes, the mall is underperforming, and in the middle of the concourse, there are too many dumpy little kiosks selling souvenirs.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Feb. 2023
She’s not allowed to be anything more than the dumpy friend on TV.
—Sarah Madaus, SELF, 3 Feb. 2023
Goloborodko’s once disappointed father (Viktor Saraykin) is suddenly beaming with pride and determined to renovate the family’s dumpy apartment in palatial style (and to evict neighboring tenants, until his wife objects).
—David Klion, The New Republic, 7 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dumpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumpy
Adjective
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Without their go-to scorer and clutch performer, the Knicks are forging a new identity as a stout defensive team.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2025
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The latest release was finished in stout beer barrels, part of a growing number of whiskeys that are getting this type of secondary maturation.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The dilapidated Johnson Inn still stands on a valuable Porter Beach lakefront parcel almost two years after the town of Porter issued condemnation orders.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
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Kumar purchased the dilapidated former Burger King last year and plans to convert the building into a commissary and test kitchen to create new menu items for his other restaurants and to provide training for his cooks.—
Tyler Williams,
Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Ironically, her swollen face looks plump and round despite her partial buccal fat removal — a procedure that extracts the soft pads of tissue found inside the cheeks to create a slimmer face.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
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It’s packed with moisture-boosting ingredients that leave your skin feeling plump, dewy and ready to glow.—
Maria Correa,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Some who have tolerated a static image on a neglected part of their screen may not be as accepting of more distracting ad formats.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
17 Mar. 2025
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This was to help end the puppy mill industry, where dogs are bred en masse, leading them to be born and raised in filthy and neglected conditions.—
Andrew Sheeler,
Sacramento Bee,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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With the costume’s feet at knee-level, an elevated stage (and smoke machine) helped give the appearance that Klum was walking around on E.T.’s characteristically stumpy legs.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN,
1 Nov. 2024
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The heron turns out to be a stumpy man in a costume.—
Moeko Fujii,
The New Yorker,
2 May 2024
Adjective
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An hour ago, the stocky British actor best known on these shores for playing tough guys and gangsters was on a morning talk show, after having chatted with Jimmy Fallon the previous evening.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
22 Mar. 2025
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Cooper concluded that a megalodon would have been a stocky, powerful shark—measuring some 52 feet (16 meters) in length with a body mass of 67.86 tons—able to execute bursts of high speed to attack prey, much like the significantly smaller great white shark.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
Ars Technica,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The shed has built-in ventilation, a window, sturdy flooring, and a padlock-compatible locking mechanism on the door.—
Maggie Horton,
People.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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The Blue Jackets signed another college free agent on Wednesday, adding stout and sturdy defenseman Caleb MacDonald from the University of North Dakota on a two-year entry-level contract that begins next season.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Graham has a stubby build and some prospects are more athletic.—
Matt Barrows,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
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Elephants, for instance, became tapirs, with stubby trunks and legs.—
Caroline Winterer / Made by History,
TIME,
14 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumpy. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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