stoop

¹ American  

[stoop] / stup /

verb (used without object)

1. to bend the head and shoulders, or the body generally, forward and downward from an erect position.

   to stoop over a desk.

   Synonyms:

   crouch, lean

2. to carry the head and shoulders habitually bowed forward.

   to stoop from age.

3. (of trees, precipices, etc.) to bend, bow, or lean.

4. to descend from one's level of dignity; condescend; deign.

   Don't stoop to argue with him.

5. to swoop down, as a hawk at prey.

6. to submit; yield.

7. Obsolete. to come down from a height.

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verb (used with object)

1. to bend (oneself, one's head, etc.) forward and downward.

2. Archaic. to abase, humble, or subdue.

noun

1. the act or an instance of stooping.

2. a stooping position or carriage of body.

   The elderly man walked with a stoop.

3. a descent from dignity or superiority.

4. a downward swoop, as of a hawk.

stoop ² American  

[stoop] / stup /

noun

1. a small porch or platform at the entrance to a house, or the steps leading up to it.

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stoop ³ American  

[stoop] / stup /

noun

1. stoup.

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stoop ¹ British  

/ stuːp /

verb

1. (also tr) to bend (the body or the top half of the body) forward and downward

2. to carry oneself with head and shoulders habitually bent forward

3. (often foll by to) to abase or degrade oneself

4. (often foll by to) to condescend; deign

5. (of a bird of prey) to swoop down

6. archaic to give in

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noun

1. the act, position, or characteristic of stooping

2. a lowering from a position of dignity or superiority

3. a downward swoop, esp of a bird of prey

stoop ² British  

/ stuːp /

noun

1. a small platform with steps up to it at the entrance to a building

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stoop ³ British  

/ stuːp /

noun

1. archaic a pillar or post

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stoop ⁴ British  

/ stuːp /

noun

1. a less common spelling of stoup

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Related Words

See bend ¹.

Other Word Forms

• nonstooping
  adjective
• stooper
  noun
• stooping
  adjective
• stoopingly
  adverb
• unstooped
  adjective
• unstooping
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of stoop¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb stoupen, stupen, Old English stūpian; cognate with Middle Dutch stūpen “to bend, bow”; akin to steep ¹

Origin of stoop²

An Americanism dating back to 1670–80; from Dutch stoep; cognate with Middle Low German stōpe, German Stufe “step (in a stair)”; see step

Explanation

Stoop means to lean your head and torso forward and down. If you're six feet tall and you tour a historical building, you'll have to stoop to get through the low doorways. Stoop comes from the same root as steep. You can stoop to clear a doorway, or stoop metaphorically, by lowering your morals. If you slouch and droop, you are stooping. When owls quickly descend on their prey, that's also called stooping. Last but not least, a stoop refers to a small porch or the stairs leading up to a front entrance of a house, but that meaning is from the Dutch word stoep, "flight of steps, doorstep, or threshold."

Example Sentences

Isgro scored another before half-time and has been something of a cult hero at the Stoop ever since, extending his contract in January.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2025

Tyrone Green celebrated his 100th appearance for the club with two of Harlequins' eight tries at The Stoop.

From Barron's • Oct. 25, 2025

Burke's superb try in the 26th minute ensured Saracens trailed only 10-7 at half-time at The Stoop.

From Barron's • Oct. 12, 2025

Kildunne is currently contracted to Premiership Women's Rugby side Harlequins, who open the league season on Friday, 24 October against Loughborough Lightening at the Twickenham Stoop.

From BBC • Oct. 4, 2025

Stoop they did, bending low over the handlebars of their bicycles.

From Frank Merriwell's Alarm Doing His Best by Standish, Burt L.

Related Words

• crouch
• hunch
• squat