1
a
: the basal portion of a bodily part remaining after the rest is removed
b
: a rudimentary or vestigial bodily part
2
: the part of a plant and especially a tree remaining attached to the root after the trunk is cut
3
: a remaining part : stub
4
: one of the pointed rods stuck in the ground to form a cricket wicket
5
: a place or occasion for public speaking (as for a cause or candidate)
also
: the circuit followed by a maker of such speeches
—used especially in the phrase on the stump
stumped; stumping; stumps
1
: to reduce to a stump : trim
3
: to clear (land) of stumps
4
: to travel over (a region) making political speeches or supporting a cause
5
a
: to walk over heavily or clumsily
b
1
: to walk heavily or clumsily
2
: to go about making political speeches or supporting a cause
stumper
noun
: a short thick roll of leather, felt, or paper usually pointed at both ends and used for shading or blending a drawing in crayon, pencil, charcoal, pastel, or chalk
stumped; stumping; stumps
: to tone or treat (a drawing) with a stump
Examples of stump in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the seemingly endless parade finally ended, and the drummers and tuba players stumped wearily to their buses
when my grandfather was a kid, he and his friends would stump one another to dive into the local swimming hole
Recent Examples on the Web
Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
Per the affidavit, Rinderknecht walked to an area known as the Hidden Buddha clearing, where there’s a stump from an old utility pole where people often place Buddha figurines.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
Elsewhere, Donald Washberg is stumping dressed like Will Rogers at the Ziegfeld Follies.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stump
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Noun
Two years after the last fire, burned sections of the 73-acre natural area bear charcoal stumps and scars, but the ground is also dappled in sedges and sunlight.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
Per the affidavit, Rinderknecht walked to an area known as the Hidden Buddha clearing, where there’s a stump from an old utility pole where people often place Buddha figurines.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Obama will be out stumping for Sherrill in the lead-up to Election Day.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
Elsewhere, Donald Washberg is stumping dressed like Will Rogers at the Ziegfeld Follies.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stump
Cite this Entry
“Stump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stump. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stump
1 of 2 noun1
: the base of a bodily part (as an arm or leg) remaining after the rest is removed
2
: the part of a plant and especially a tree remaining attached to the root after the top is cut off
3
: a part (as of a pencil) remaining after the rest is worn away or lost : stub
4
: a place or occasion for political public speaking
stump
2 of 2 verb1
2
a
: to walk or walk over heavily or clumsily
3
: to go about making political speeches
stump the state for a candidate
stumper
noun
Etymology
Verb
probably an altered form of earlier stump (noun) "a challenge"
Medical Definition
stump
noun1
: the basal portion of a bodily part (as a limb) remaining after the rest is removed
2
: a rudimentary or vestigial bodily part
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