as in ends
to stop the progress or spread of (something)
efforts to stem the dramatic decline of an endangered species
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Recent Examples of stems
Removing all parts of the roots and stems is important to prevent regrowth.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
This is because squash plants produce prickly leaves and stems that rabbits dislike.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026
The dispute stems, in part, an April 25, 2023 meeting at Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds’ New York City penthouse.
—Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
The arching stems and sprays of golden flowers provide food, nesting, and winter shelter for bumblebees, long-and short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles, spiders, and more.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Apr. 2026
Just be sure to keep the biochar and compost a few inches away from the plant stems to avoid issues with rot.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
Cut pothos stems just above leaf nodes, and use clean tools.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
His strained relationship with the European Union stems in part from his stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his firm support of Israel and his hardline position on migration, which has led to financial penalties from the bloc.
—Greg Wehner , Simon Owen, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
This is because squash plants produce prickly leaves and stems that rabbits dislike.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026
The dispute stems, in part, an April 25, 2023 meeting at Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds’ New York City penthouse.
—Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
The arching stems and sprays of golden flowers provide food, nesting, and winter shelter for bumblebees, long-and short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles, spiders, and more.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Apr. 2026
Just be sure to keep the biochar and compost a few inches away from the plant stems to avoid issues with rot.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
Cut pothos stems just above leaf nodes, and use clean tools.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
His strained relationship with the European Union stems in part from his stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his firm support of Israel and his hardline position on migration, which has led to financial penalties from the bloc.
—Greg Wehner , Simon Owen, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stems
Verb
-
Internet access will only be restored after the war ends, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported earlier this week, quoting Elias Hazrati, the head of Iran’s Government Information Council.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
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According to the department, 410 foreign climbers have been issued permits to attempt to reach the Everest summit during the spring climbing season, which ends at the end of May.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Frey vetoed the ordinance, arguing that an eviction pause does not actually provide relief and only delays an inevitable problem.—
Aki Nace,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
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The plan also maintains full scope Medi-Cal for asylees and other immigrant groups who were cut out of Medicaid by the federal government and delays Medi-Cal premiums for undocumented immigrants that would otherwise begin on July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2028.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The single item that stops new projects is when the Affordable Requirements Ordinance (ARO) is required, with a set-aside of 20% of the units to be rented at below market prices.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
And that’s where the problem stops being technical and starts being structural.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
March 2 Oil and gas prices jumped during the first trading day since the strikes, as the war halts energy exports from the Middle East.—
Emma Graham,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Weather Extremes While snapdragons prefer cool weather, extreme cold, especially a late freeze, halts blooming until temperatures warm.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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First, Detroit has centers ahead of him in Larkin, Copp and potentially Kasper next season, with Nate Danielson on the way as well, which either complicates Compher’s path to high-lineup playing time or blocks one of the young players.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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That put the company strategically on track to potentially go public in the final quarter of 2026—following an $852 billion valuation—unless Musk’s lawsuit blocks the move.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The film conveniently concludes in 1988, five years before Chandler’s abuse allegations came to light.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
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Powell, meanwhile, is set to step down as Fed chair when his term concludes on May 15, capping an eight-year tenure as the leader of the central bank.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stems.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stems. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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