starchier; starchiest
1
: containing, consisting of, or resembling starch
starchy foods
2
: formal, stiff
a starchy lawyer
starchily adverb
starchiness noun

Examples of starchy in a Sentence

a starchy and demanding teacher
Recent Examples on the Web The best part of this recipe is the introduction of some quick-pickled jalapeños, which provide a welcome blast of acidity and spice to an otherwise starchy and rich soup. Nick Siano, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 Russet is a great choice because they’re starchy with lower water content than, say, red or new potatoes. Julia Levy, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2024 Now that the world has opened up again, many aren’t willing to relinquish all that comfort and go back to stiff and starchy fits. Michael Loré, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2023 Despite his relative wealth, the elder James Mohammad enjoyed holding court in these types of restaurants, which served the starchy Yoruba dishes of his youth, as opposed to the Euro-chic restaurants in Lagos that his nephew frequented. Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 9 Feb. 2024 Yams Yams are a dry, starchy root vegetable with rough skin that looks a bit like the bark of a tree. Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 10 Nov. 2023 Runners and bussers carry out the intricate footwork of service: bending down to adjust a fish knife, raising a silver cloche, ironing a crease out of a starchy white tablecloth, holding a silver ladle high in the air as a blue trickle of flaming rum pours down on a wedge of sticky toffee pudding. Pete Wells, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024 What’s inside is even more rewarding: smooth and rich, closer to mashed potatoes than starchy shards. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2024 Rather than roasting potatoes, combining the starchy flesh with flour and egg yolk and forming them — lightly, so lightly, please! — into dumplings before boiling them, this style comes together more like polenta. Joe Yonan, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'starchy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of starchy was in 1633

Dictionary Entries Near starchy

Cite this Entry

“Starchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starchy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

starchy

adjective
starchier; starchiest
1
: containing, consisting of, or resembling starch
starchy foods
2
: consisting of or marked by formality or stiffness
starchiness noun

Medical Definition

starchy

adjective
starchier; starchiest
: containing, consisting of, or resembling starch
starchy foods

More from Merriam-Webster on starchy

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