stunt

¹ American  

[stuhnt] / stʌnt /

verb (used with object)

1. to stop, slow down, or hinder the growth or development of; dwarf.

   A harsh climate stunted the trees.

   Brutal treatment in childhood stunted his personality.

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noun

1. a stop or hindrance in growth or development.

2. arrested development.

3. a plant or animal hindered from attaining its proper growth.

4. Plant Pathology. a disease of plants, characterized by a dwarfing or stunting of the plant.

stunt ² American  

[stuhnt] / stʌnt /

noun

1. a performance displaying a person's skill or dexterity, as in athletics; feat.

   an acrobatic stunt.

2. any remarkable feat performed chiefly to attract attention.

   The kidnapping was said to be a publicity stunt.

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verb (used without object)

1. to do a stunt or stunts.

2. Television Slang. to add specials, miniseries, etc., to a schedule of programs, especially so as to increase ratings.

verb (used with object)

1. to use in doing stunts.

   to stunt an airplane.

stunt ¹ British  

/ stʌnt /

noun

1. an acrobatic, dangerous, or spectacular action

2. an acrobatic or dangerous piece of action in a film or television programme

3. anything spectacular or unusual done to gain publicity

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verb

1. (intr) to perform a stunt or stunts

stunt ² British  

/ stʌnt /

verb

1. (tr) to prevent or impede the growth or development of (a plant, animal, etc)

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noun

1. the act or an instance of stunting

2. a person, animal, or plant that has been stunted

Other Word Forms

• stuntedness
  noun
• stunted
  adjective
• stunty
  adjective
• stuntingly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of stunt¹

First recorded in 1575–85; verb use of dialect stunt “dwarfed, stubborn”; cognate with Middle High German stunz, Old Norse stuttr “short”; akin to stint ¹

Origin of stunt²

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of stump ( def. ) (in the sense “challenge; dare”)

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Explanation

To stunt is to slow or hinder. Some people say that drinking coffee will stunt your growth when you're a teenager — they worry that you won't grow any taller. Poor nutrition can stunt your growth, and bad soil will do the same for a plant — a lack of moisture or nutrients will stunt the development of your lettuce or tomatoes. Another meaning of stunt is a dangerous trick, the kind performed in an action movie or by planes in an air show. The root of "check the growth" is the Old English stunt, "short witted or foolish," while the "trick" kind of stunt comes from nineteenth century American college slang.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stunt

The UK's equivalent to American stunt film series Jackass, Dirty Sanchez started out in Newport and saw the group travel all over the world performing unhinged stunts.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

The scene is the result of two weeks of filming at Tilsey Farm with director Charlotte Brändström and stunt unit director Vic Armstrong at the helm.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Levanon contends rapid advances in AI will stunt demand, perhaps permanently, for the sort of white-collar administrative work that used to be the first rung on the ladder for college graduates.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Matthew DeBord argues that this stunt “tells you everything you need to know about where Tesla is headed as a company.”

From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026

During one stunt, Stella stands on her hind legs while Snickers jumps on her head.

From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate

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Related Words

• antic
• feat
• sketch
• skit

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