stumping

verb

present participle of stump
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

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stumping For black voters, who largely sided Stevens in the primary, those outreach efforts include stumping with Harris. — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026 Australia’s 2024 stinky ‘black balls’ incident This isn’t the first time mysterious balls were found on Australian beaches, stumping experts and locals alike. — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 8 July 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumping
  1. shuffling
  2. daring
  3. stumbling
  4. challenging
  5. stomping
Verb
  • Ivey and his partner persuaded the Crockfords dealer to rotate the high-value cards 180 degrees before shuffling them back into the pack, citing some obscure superstition as justification.
    — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • At the end of all that immersiveness, exiting out onto the physical street to join the crowds of shuffling tourists and fend off sullen Elmos makes Times Square feel like the soul of authenticity.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffling
Verb
  • Concurrently Vaccarello was designing his own line, launched in 2008, which was distinguished by surgically precise cuts that showcased the body in daring ways.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
  • That is the logline that greets chefs daring to take on Warner’s 100 Cooks, which found its perfect American host in the shape of Terry Crews.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of daring
Verb
  • Unlike every other film genre, the history of horror, at least since the 1950s, is a story of amateurs stumbling in the dark.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Instead of stumbling like the Phillies and Cubs, the Padres surged and took with them the #1 Wild Card spot, earning the right to host this series.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of stumbling
Verb
  • Demonstrators are challenging a voter list revision that has removed more than 130 million names.
    — Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The three-man booth can be challenging to navigate and often one analyst spends more time talking.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of challenging
Verb
  • The answer isn’t between stomping the gas pedal or leaving the car parked.
    — Bob Ackerman, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Handclaps, stomping percussion and a communal chorus create the kind of infectious energy that naturally gets people moving.
    — qygwork, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stomping

Browse Nearby Words

stumpers
stumping
stumps
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumping. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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