General
stunting
What does stunting mean?
In the ballroom world of Paris Is Burning, stunting means tricking or swindling, used in the film for shoplifting clothes or skipping out on a restaurant bill. For kids with nothing, it was a survival hustle and a way to get the fierce looks the floor demanded. The clothes you stunted for could be the clothes you walked in. Not glamorous, just real, a way to eat and to compete when the legit route was closed off.
"Half that outfit she stunted from a department store the week before the ball."
Origin
Ballroom and street survival slang documented in Paris Is Burning (1990); meaning to trick, swindle, or steal.
Frequently asked questions
What does stunting mean?
It means tricking or swindling to survive, like shoplifting or pulling a dine-and-dash.
How do you use stunting in a sentence?
"He was stunting all week just to keep the lights on."
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
