Stuck

/stʌk/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang

adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A thrust, especially with a lance or sword.
  • Grammar: stuck is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: addled, adhere, adhered, adhering.
  • Useful contrasts: unstuck, slide, advance.
  • Usage evidence: Gum got stuck to the bottom of my shoe.

How to use "stuck"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "stuck" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "stuck" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "stuck" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "stuck" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "stuck" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "addled" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "stuck", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A thrust, especially with a lance or sword. obsolete

    "If he by chance escape your venomed stuck, / Our purpose may hold there."

Verb
  1. 1
    simple past and past participle of stick (archaic sticked) form-of, participle, past
Adjective
  1. 1
    Unable to move.

    "Can you shift this gate? I think it’s stuck."

  2. 2
    Unable to progress with a task.

    "I’m totally stuck on this question in the test."

  3. 3
    No longer functioning, frozen up, frozen.

    "There are several ways to close a stuck program."

  4. 4
    In the situation of having no money. archaic, slang
Adjective
  1. 1
    caught or fixed wordnet
  2. 2
    baffled wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.

Example

"Gum got stuck to the bottom of my shoe."

Common questions

What does "stuck" mean?

A thrust, especially with a lance or sword.

What is a synonym for "stuck"?

Common synonyms include: addled, adhere, adhered, adhering, affix, affixed.

How do you use "stuck" in a sentence?

Gum got stuck to the bottom of my shoe.

How do you pronounce "stuck"?

Pronounced /stʌk/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

Compare stoccado.

Etymology 2

German surname, from the noun Stück (“portion, piece”). Compare Stueck.

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