Synonyms of stubnext
1
b
: a short piece remaining on a stem or trunk where a branch has been lost
2
: something made or worn to a short or blunt shape
especially : a pen with a short blunt nib
3
: a short blunt part left after a larger part has been broken off or used up
a pencil stub
4
: something cut short or stunted
5
a
: a small part of a leaf (as of a checkbook) attached to the spine for memoranda of the contents of the part torn away
b
: the part of a ticket returned to the user

stub

2 of 2

verb

stubbed; stubbing

transitive verb

1
a
: to grub up by the roots
b
: to clear (land) by grubbing out rooted growth
c
: to hew or cut down (a tree) close to the ground
2
: to extinguish (something, such as a cigarette) by crushing
3
: to strike (one's foot or toe) against an object

Examples of stub in a Sentence

Noun Hold onto your ticket stub in case you leave the theater and want to come back in again. an ashtray full of cigarette stubs
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
One great joy had been collecting ticket stubs from concerts, games and other events that a person attended. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026 As of Monday night, WCCO has not been able to independently verify the stubs. Esme Murphy, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
In the second half, Freese stepped off his line to control a ball, hesitated, stubbed his foot against the ground, and lost the ball. Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 July 2026 In 1828, a man named Benjamin Parks stubbed his toe on a stone. John Archibald, Southern Living, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stub

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stubb, from Old English stybb; akin to Old Norse stūfr stump, Greek stypos stem

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of stub was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stub. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
2
: a pen with a short blunt point
3
: a short part left after a larger part has been broken off or used up
a pencil stub
4
a
: a small part of a check kept as a record of the contents of the check
b
: the part of a ticket returned to the user

stub

2 of 2 verb
stubbed; stubbing
1
: to put out (as a cigarette) by crushing
2
: to strike (as one's toe) against an object

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