Showing results for "stumped"

• past participle of stump.
• past tense form of stump.

stumped

American  

[stuhmpt] / stʌmpt /

adjective

1. completely at a loss; perplexed or nonplussed.

   The stumped officer could only stare at the strange object, trying to figure out what it might be.

2. reduced to a stump; truncated; lopped.

   Bowser was a small dog with a stumped tail.

   These hills are in fact the stumped remains of mountains millions of years old.

3. Chiefly Southern U.S. stubbed, as one’s toe.

   At the talk, someone in the audience joked, "A stumped toe is all I need as proof that matter is real!"

4. cleared of stumps.

   It was looking more and more impossible to get the recently cleared and stumped field ready for planting by April 26.

5. (of a crayon drawing, pencil rendering, etc.) toned or modified by means of a stump, a blunt-tipped tool made of tightly rolled paper, leather, etc..

   A stumped drawing by Willem de Kooning, almost rubbed out, inspired our interest in the process of reproduction.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of stump.

Other Word Forms

• unstumped
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of stumped

First recorded in 1595–1605; 1840–45 stumped for def. 3; stump ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; stump ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stumped

Last month, OpenAI announced that its latest version of ChatGPT had solved a major math problem, one that had stumped experts for 80 years.

From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026

Because a famous math problem that stumped humans for the better part of a century has finally been toppled—by AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

When the vehicles violate traffic laws, some police have been stumped as to how to hold the driverless cars accountable.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

Celebrities including Brad Pitt and Diane Keaton stumped for the Zumthor design at the meeting, eclipsing the voices of many citizens who questioned the project — and the board voted unanimously to release the funds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026

Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione’s hand had shot into the air.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling