stooped; stooping; stoops
1
a
: to bend the body or a part of the body forward and downward sometimes simultaneously bending the knees
b
: to stand or walk with a forward inclination of the head, body, or shoulders
3
a
: to descend from a superior rank, dignity, or status
b
: to lower oneself morally
stooped to lying
4
a
archaic
: to move down from a height : alight
b
: to fly or dive down swiftly usually to attack prey
1
a
: an act of bending the body forward
b
: a temporary or habitual forward bend of the back and shoulders
2
: the descent of a bird especially on its prey
3
: a lowering of oneself
: a porch, platform, entrance stairway, or small veranda at a house door
Synonyms
Examples of stoop in a Sentence
Verb
She stooped down to hug the child.
He had to stoop to pick it up.
He tends to stoop as he walks.
He really did that? I didn't think he could stoop so low.
Noun (2)
the stoop at the front entrance is just big enough to shield a resident from the elements as he fumbles for his keys
Recent Examples on the Web
E. L. Doctorow, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
His mistakes are his fumbling misstatements and his inability to control his gape on-camera and his willingness to stoop to Trump’s level (late in the debate mocking Trump’s weight), a strategy that has not once worked.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 28 June 2024
Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 1 July 2024
More recently, the takeout shop with limited indoor seating deputized an employee to be on stoop patrol, in charge of asking customers to move.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for stoop 
Verb
Every store was closed but for the Walgreen’s next to Mayor Cole’s Buick agency, and, across the green, spectators were stooping under the wooden cordons and scurrying over to mingle with the marchers.
—E. L. Doctorow, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
His mistakes are his fumbling misstatements and his inability to control his gape on-camera and his willingness to stoop to Trump’s level (late in the debate mocking Trump’s weight), a strategy that has not once worked.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 28 June 2024
Noun
While the contemporary interiors have been redone, the façade was restored to its original appearance, as was the stone stoop.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 1 July 2024
More recently, the takeout shop with limited indoor seating deputized an employee to be on stoop patrol, in charge of asking customers to move.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for stoop
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stoop.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stoop
Cite this Entry
“Stoop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoop. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stoop
1 of 3 verb1
a
: to bend down or over
b
: to stand or walk with the head and shoulders or the upper part of the body bent forward
2
: to degrade oneself
stoop to lying
stoop
2 of 3 noun1
: an act of bending the body forward
2
: a forward bend of the back and shoulders that is temporary or by habit
stoop
3 of 3 noun
: a porch, platform, or entrance stairway at a house door
Etymology
Verb
Old English stūpian "to stoop, bend over"
Noun
from Dutch stoep "porch, stoop"
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