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stuck

stuck

294 3.5
Not able to understand or find a solution
  • adjective
  • /stʌk/
translation icon : bloqueado
  • Ideas abound, but if you find yourself stuck, ask an art teacher to read this article.
  • feel stuck
  • stuck on the question
  • stuck on a word

Most people think their brain is stuck and that's clear in this book.

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Examples

  • Those fears keep people stuck in these relationships.

  • So we're kind of stuck, like what do we do now?

  • We become stuck in the way we think we have to.

  • More than once, he got stuck and had to struggle to find his way out.

    Academic text (2007)
  • I feel sometimes like I'm already stuck in a marriage, and I'm not even married yet.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Most people think their brain is stuck and that's clear in this book.

  • The more you think like that, the more stuck you're going to stay.

  • If you find yourself stuck when writing, go to www.750words.com to get some help.

    Academic text (2012)
  • They're stuck with each other and they've got to ride... all the way to the end of the line.

  • When faced with a difficult math problem, I often feel stuck and unsure of how to proceed.

Synonyms

confused
vsstuck
692 1.3

Not able to think clearly or understand what is happening

adds the idea of being unable to continue or solve because of that state
mixed-up
vsstuck
  • Informal
82 4.9

Confused and unsure because different ideas or instructions do not agree

is similar but emphasizes being unable to move forward or solve the issue
puzzled
vsstuck
31 3.0

Unable to understand something because you feel confused

refers to a halt in solving or proceeding caused by that confusion
to bogged down
vsstuck
  • Informal
21 5.8

To become stuck and unable to make progress because of problems

is similar but centers on mental confusion rather than external obstacles
stuck on
vsstuck
16 5.1

Not able to move past a problem or stop thinking about it

is more about failing to proceed due to confusion rather than fixation
to be stumped
vsstuck
  • Informal
15 6.4

Cannot think of an answer or solution

is broader, covering being unable to proceed generally, not only answers
at an impasse
vsstuck
12 6.3

In a situation where people cannot agree and nothing moves forward

is narrower, describing a mental inability to solve or proceed because of confusion
muddled
vsstuck
7 5.4

Confused and not in clear order so hard to understand

focuses more on stopping progress or solving because of that unclear state
perplexed
vsstuck
7 5.1

Feeling confused because you do not understand something

focuses on being unable to proceed or find a solution due to confusion
to bog down
vsstuck
5 5.8

To get stuck and stop making progress

refers to a mental halt from confusion rather than practical task blockage
bewildered
vsstuck
1 5.3

Feeling confused and not knowing what is happening or what to do

points to being stopped from progressing or solving due to that confusion
baffled
vsstuck
3.9

Feeling confused when you cannot understand something

is about being unable to solve or move forward because of confusion
confounded
vsstuck
6.8

Feeling very confused and not able to understand something unexpected

is more about stopping progress from confusion than only feeling overwhelmed

Antonyms

1.0

To know the meaning of something

1.3

To find the answer to a problem or puzzle

152 3.0

How easy it is to understand what someone says or writes

Idioms

stuck in the mud
  • Informal
3 6.3

Unable to move forward because of a physical problem or other difficulty

1 7.8

Old-fashioned and slow to use new technology

1 7.5

In a difficult situation with no clear way out

1 8.3

Giving too much attention to small details that you lose sight of the main goal

9.9

Feeling unable to get out of a foolish situation where people laugh at you because of your actions

Feeling unhappy and unable to make progress in work or life

A plan or idea that cannot move forward because a strict office process delays decisions

8.9

Not able to move forward because of a messy, difficult situation

stuck on oneself
  • Offensive
8.4

Being too proud and thinking you are better than others

Compounds

stuck record
  • Informal
1 7.4

A person who repeats the same thing until it becomes annoying

stuck-on-herself
  • Offensive
9.9

Thinks she is much better than other people

How Stuck

baffled
3.9
stuck
294 3.5
confused
692 1.3

Surface Forms

stuck positive

Etymology

Stuck also has another meaning that comes from the same idea as stick: something that 'sticks' stops moving. So if you are stuck on a problem, your thinking or progress is held back, like a wheel caught in mud.