stump
noun
the lower end of a tree or plant left after the main part falls or is cut off; a standing tree trunk from which the upper part and branches have been removed.
have stumped
-
present perfectof stump.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The cases have stumped experts, who are investigating a variety of potential causes.
From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2022
The phrase special, or enhanced, combat duty appears to have stumped the Pentagon.
From Reuters ● Feb. 28, 2022
A new police commissioner on New York’s Long Island launched an interagency task force dedicated to solving the Gilgo Beach serial killings that have stumped detectives for decades.
From Fox News ● Feb. 17, 2022
Steel predicted Biden and McConnell, two former colleagues, can find “common ground” on infrastructure and immigration — policy areas that have stumped multiple administrations.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 1, 2021
Jack Merrill was only a lad, after all, and he found himself suddenly called upon to answer a question which might have stumped a grown man.
From The Border Boys Across the Frontier by Goldfrap, John Henry
