as in stout
being compact and broad in build and often short in stature
stumpy penguins become agile swimmers the moment they hit the water
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stumpy
Clearly, this was not some unmarked but common alternative route; it was studded with stumpy pine trees, and the terrain made for hard going.
—
Rachel Monroe, Outside Online, 16 Oct. 2018
At one point, someone on InSight’s science team wondered if the lander’s somewhat stumpy arm could prod the solar panels, or perhaps scrape off some dust.
—Robin George Andrews, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2022
The fish obtain their unique shape because their back fin stops growing after birth and instead folds into itself, creating a stumpy rudder called a clavus, per National Geographic.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2021
These were kings, calmer and more aloof than the royals, going through their annual molt, their stumpy bodies a mess of patchy old plumage being pushed up and out by new growth.
—Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 14 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for stumpy
Rachel Monroe, Outside Online, 16 Oct. 2018
At one point, someone on InSight’s science team wondered if the lander’s somewhat stumpy arm could prod the solar panels, or perhaps scrape off some dust.
—Robin George Andrews, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2022
The fish obtain their unique shape because their back fin stops growing after birth and instead folds into itself, creating a stumpy rudder called a clavus, per National Geographic.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2021
These were kings, calmer and more aloof than the royals, going through their annual molt, their stumpy bodies a mess of patchy old plumage being pushed up and out by new growth.
—Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 14 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for stumpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumpy
Adjective
-
San Diego State basketball has made a name for itself in recent years off the back of a stout defense.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Feb. 2025
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But on Saturday, the Heat was far more stout, albeit against a 14-32 Nets team lacking in firepower, even more so without Cam Johnson, who’s averaging 19.4 points per game.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 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
Adjective
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But the stocky, six-foot-two Aucklander’s addition to the predictions has sparked the bookmakers’ interest.—
Julia Ranney,
The Athletic,
13 Feb. 2025
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This type of dolphin with its stocky body and bulbous head can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds and reach up to 13 feet long.—
NBC Bay Area staff,
NBC News,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Some species provided not just materials but sustenance: edible cambium (a layer between the bark and the wood), plump and sweet in the spring—considered a famine food by some groups and a delicacy by others.—
Amelia Soth,
JSTOR Daily,
27 Feb. 2025
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The formula is chock-full of humectants, which draw moisture into the skin to leave it feeling hydrated and plump.—
Zoë Weiner,
Glamour,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Place objects like blocks or stools, or maybe even a squatty potty, under your feet to raise your knees higher than your hips.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
20 Nov. 2024
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Even with standard organizational paranoia about plans leaking, not using a running back with a squatty frame and credible speed is curious.—
Ben Standig,
The Athletic,
29 July 2024
Adjective
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Potassium helps produce sturdy plants and increases plants’ resistance to stress but overapplication of potassium (and too much of any nutrient) can cause other necessary nutrients to become unavailable to the plant.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Mar. 2025
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Rugs used on slippery surfaces such as wood and tile need to have sturdy backing made to hug the floor and grip it tightly.—
BestReviews,
The Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumpy. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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