stunted
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stunted
Explanation
If something is stunted, it's been prevented from growing or developing to its full potential. After a hot, dry summer, there's nothing left in your vegetable garden but a few stunted tomato plants. Stunted things are scrawny, like the tiny runt in a litter of puppies. A lack of sun in your yard will result in stunted roses and daisies, and malnourishment can lead to stunted growth in humans. People can also be emotionally stunted if they aren't nurtured and encouraged to express their feelings. Stunted comes from the verb stunt, "prevent from growing or developing properly."
Vocabulary lists containing stunted
A Long Walk to Water
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Island of the Blue Dolphins
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The Sea of Monsters
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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.
Lynn Roberts, with one leg stunted by childhood polio, finds her time in the pool “life changing, because in the water I can do the things that everyone else does.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Plant growth can be stunted in dry soil, affecting animals or birds that rely on them for food or the success of a food crop.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
It painted a dire picture of a nation where one-in-two children under five years has stunted growth, and nearly three-quarters of 10 year-olds leave school illiterate.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
The economy was stunted by abnormally severe winter weather, for one thing.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026
There are no trees on the island except the small ones stunted by the wind.
From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
