stubble
Americannoun
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Usually stubbles. the stumps of grain and other stalks left in the ground when the crop is cut.
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such stumps collectively.
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any short, rough growth, as of beard.
noun
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the stubs of stalks left in a field where a crop has been cut and harvested
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( as modifier )
a stubble field
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any bristly growth or surface
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stubble
1250–1300; Middle English stuble < Old French estuble < Vulgar Latin *stupula, Latin stipula stipule
Explanation
Stubble is the prickly hair that grows back after being shaved. You might find stubble on a man's chin or on a woman's leg. Stubble is a very specific kind of hair: hair that's been shaved but has grown back a little bit after a few days. On a man's face, stubble isn't quite a beard yet: the hair is short. Stubble feels rough, and it can be itchy. Although some men like the stubble look, most men usually go one way or the other: grow out a beard or shave the stubble off. You can also have stubble anywhere hair has been shaved.
Vocabulary lists containing stubble
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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My Brother Sam is Dead
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The Midwife's Apprentice
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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.
Hilton countered that his beard was actually a happy accident: his stubble received a positive reception after a razor-free family vacation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
Years of efforts to tackle the problem, including work-from-home policies and rules on crop stubble burning, have done little to alleviate the issue.
From Barron's ● Dec. 28, 2025
His stubble had grown into a wispy beard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2025
Delhi and northern states annually face smog during the winter due to a confluence of dropping temperatures, smoke, dust, low wind speeds, vehicle emissions and crop stubble burning.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2024
He rubs his hand along the stubble on his face.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
