1
a
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
stubbed; stubbing
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
Synonyms
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
The Week Us, theweek, 19 Nov. 2024
Ticket stubs, either digital or physical, must be shown upon arrival for class entry.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2024
Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
Injuries from stubbing your toe, dropping a heavy object on it, or persistent pressure from poorly fitting shoes or activities like running can cause the toenail to separate from the nail bed.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stub 
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Noun
Each stub sparks a memory, producing a portrait of the artist as a young law student, avid concert-goer, crush-haver, life liver.
—The Week Us, theweek, 19 Nov. 2024
Ticket stubs, either digital or physical, must be shown upon arrival for class entry.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
Also, avoid extinguishing/stubbing them on stairs or railings.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
Injuries from stubbing your toe, dropping a heavy object on it, or persistent pressure from poorly fitting shoes or activities like running can cause the toenail to separate from the nail bed.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stub
Dictionary Entries Near stub
Cite this Entry
“Stub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stub. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stub
1 of 2 noun2
: 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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