# stint

/ˈstɪnt/ (US) · /stˈɪnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stint
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a period of work

noun · CEFR B2

a set period of time that you spend doing a particular job or activity.

For teachers: a fixed or allotted period of work, service, or specific activity.

- After a two-year stint in the army, he returned home to start university.
- She completed a brief stint as a junior researcher in London before being headhunted by a major firm in New York.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'in' or 'as'.

### 2. to limit or restrict

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to limit the amount of something you give or use, often because you are being very careful or cheap.

For teachers: to restrict someone to a small or meager allowance; to be frugal or sparing with resources.

- The hotel didn't stint on the breakfast, providing a huge variety of fresh food.
- The organizers did not stint on the decorations, ensuring that every hall was draped in expensive silk and fresh flowers.

Usage: Commonly used in the negative ('did not stint on') to emphasize generosity.

### 3. a type of bird

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a very small bird that lives near water and has long legs for wading.

For teachers: any of several small wading birds in the genus Calidris, similar to a sandpiper.

- We saw a little stint feeding in the mud at the edge of the lake.
- The estuary is a vital stopover for migratory shorebirds, including the red-necked stint and other small waders.

## Examples

- She did a short stint as a waitress last summer.
- After a two-year stint in the military, he returned to university to finish his degree.
- The journalist's brief stint as a foreign correspondent in the war zone provided her with enough material to write a bestselling memoir about the complexities of modern conflict.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.