Scientists are fighting to stem the spread of the AIDS virus.
Source: tatoeba (23986)
Stem
/stɛm/
Synonyms for "stem" (544 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (109)
accidenceaccrue fromadjutageadvanceaffiliationaffixaffixationaffrontallomorphanimal kingdomankleantagonizeanthrophoreapparentationarisearise fromarrestascenderaxisback
Show 75 more words
balusterbalustradebanisterbarbasebastard typebattlebayonet legsbe contingent onbe due tobeakbeardbeat againstbeat up againstbeginningbellybevelbifurcatebirthblack letterblockbloodbloodlineblow the whistlebodybolebound morphemebowbowlegsbowsbowspritbrakebranchbranch outbravebreastbreast the wavebreedbring beforebring forwardbring tobring upbring up shortbroodbuckbud frombuffetbuffet the wavesbuttockscalfcanecapcapitalcarpophorecaryatidcasecathetercaudexcauliclecaulischallengecheckcheckmateclanclassclose withcnemiscolonnadecolumncombatcomecome alongcome fromcome oncome out of
Strong matches (163)
commencementcommon ancestrycompanioncompete withconceptionconfrontconfront withconjugationconsanguinitycontend againstcontestcontrolcountercover groundcrotchcrutchculmcurbcut shortcutting
Show 131 more words
dadodamdaredeadlockdeclensiondefydeltademedepend onderivationderivederive fromdescenddescend fromdescenderdescentdevelopdiedifference of formdiminishdirect linedistaff sidedivaricatedrainpipedraw reindrumstickefflux tubeememanateemanate fromemergeemerge fromenencliticencounterensueensue fromenvisageextractionfaceface withfamilyfanfat-faced typefeetfemale linefightfight againstfigureheadfiliationfire hoseflagstaffflowflow fromflue pipefolkfollow fromfontfootstalkforecastleforedeckforelegforepeakforkformativefree formfreezefrontfuniculefuniculusfunnelfurcatefurculafurculumgain groundgambgambrelgarden hosegas pipegather headgather waygenerategenesisgensgerminate fromget aheadget alonggigotgogo aheadgo alonggo fastgo forwardgo ongrapple withgrass rootsgroingroovegrowgrow fromgrow out ofguillotinehalthamhang onhaulmheadhind leghinge onhockhosehosepipehouseic analysisimmediate constituent analysisinceptioninfixinfixationinflectioninguenissueissue fromitalicjackjambjib boomjoin battle withkindkneelabor againstlay before
Adjective(1 words)
german grund
Related words (272)
leafstalkleglessenletterligaturelimblineline of descentlineagelogotypelower casemajusculemake good timemake head againstmake headwaymake progressmake progress againstmake stridesmake up leewaymale line
Show 216 more words
matriclanmaypolemeetmeet squarelymilitate againstminusculemorphmorphememorphemic analysismorphemicsmorphologymorphophonemicsmovemove forwardnationnewel-postnicknipplenoseoffer resistanceoffshootorderorgan pipeoriginoriginaloriginateoriginate inoriginationparadigmpartspasspass alongpass onpatriclanpedestalpedicelpedunclepeoplepetiolepetiolulepetiolusphratryphylephylumpipicapierpilasterpilepilingpillarpipepipelinepipettepipingplace beforeplant kingdomplinthpoditepointpolepopliteal spacepostprefixprefixationpresentpresent toprevail overprintproceedproceed fromprocliticprogressprongproreprovenanceprovenienceprowpull upput it toput paid toqueen-postquellraceradicalradixramificationramifyreducereedreed pipereluctreluctateresistresultretardriserivalrodrollromanrootrostrumrunnersans serifscapescissor-legsscriptseedseedstalkseptset beforeshaftshankshinshipshootshouldersiamesesiamese connectionsidesiphonslowsmall capsmall capitalsnorkelsoclesoil pipesourcespearspear sidespeciesspindle sidespirespringspring fromsproutsprout fromstaffstalematestalkstallstampstanchstanchionstandstandardstandpipestaunchstaysteam pipestem fromstem the tidestemsstep forwardstickstipestirpsstockstopstop coldstop deadstop shortstrainstrawstrive againststruggle againststumpssubbasesuccessionsuffixsuffixationsuppresssurbasesword sidetake ontaptaproottarsusthemetigellatonguetotemtotem poletraveltribetridenttrifurcatetrotterstrunktubetubingtubulationtubuletubulettubulureturn ontwigtypetype bodytype classtype licetypecasetypefacetypefounderstypefoundryupper caseuprightvvie withwaste pipewater pipewishbonewithstandword formationword-formation
Noun(29 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Verb(6 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: stalk, accidence, accrue from, adjutage, advance.
- Sentence evidence is available for stem, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "stem".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "stem"
Keep "stem" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "stem" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "stem", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "stem" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
30 entriesbiological origincausecheckcylinderdescriptordevelopmentfirst aidformfronthemostasisorganorientoriginate inphysiological responseplant organplant structure
Showing 16 of 30 words.
More specific
13 entriesCollocations
10 entriesherbaceous stemplant stemstem fromstem internodestem nodestem the bleedingstem the flowstem the spreadstem tissuewoody stem
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriesTranslations
11 translations across 6 languages.
Azerbaijani
1 entries- qol noun (branch of a family)
Finnish
2 entries- haara noun (branch of a family)
- sukuhaara noun (branch of a family)
German
2 entries- Seitenlinie noun (branch of a family)
- Zweig noun (branch of a family)
Hungarian
2 entries- nemzetség noun (branch of a family)
- ág noun (branch of a family)
Italian
3 entries- ceppo noun (branch of a family)
- linea noun (branch of a family)
- ramo noun (branch of a family)
Swedish
1 entries- gren noun (branch of a family)
Sample sentences
36 total sentences available.
A rose has thorns on its stem.
Source: tatoeba (35070)
The plant has an underground stem.
Source: tatoeba (46169)
He dropped his wineglass and broke its stem.
Source: tatoeba (293395)
Showing 4 of 36 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "stem"?
Closest matches include stalk, accidence, accrue from, adjutage, advance.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "stem"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.