stodgier; stodgiest
1
: extremely old-fashioned (as in opinions, attitudes, etc.) : hidebound
… received a pompously Victorian letter from his stodgy father …—
E. E. S. Montagu
E. E. S. Montagu4
: having a rich filling quality : heavy
stodgy bread
5
: moving in a slow plodding way especially as a result of physical bulkiness
plural -es
: the quality or state of being stodgy
were it not for a certain stodginess … this would have been a really fine performance—P. H. Lang
P. H. LangExamples of stodgy in a Sentence
Adjective
the sitcom was offbeat and interesting in its first season, but has since become predictable and stodgy
Recent Examples on the Web
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 June 2026
There’s also the idea that Hollywood finally, after being very stodgy, began to change its marketing and advertising policies.
—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
If the dip still feels a bit stodgy, try adding a little more tahini or olive oil to smooth it out.
—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
United produced a string of stodgy displays in February and March.
—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stodgy
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Adjective
Think of it as pasta salad that’s more crunchy greens than stodgy pasta, or a green salad with the extra support and satiety of protein and carbs.
—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 June 2026
There’s also the idea that Hollywood finally, after being very stodgy, began to change its marketing and advertising policies.
—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
If the dip still feels a bit stodgy, try adding a little more tahini or olive oil to smooth it out.
—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
United produced a string of stodgy displays in February and March.
—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stodgy
Cite this Entry
“Stodgy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stodgy. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stodgy
adjective
stodgier; stodgiest
1
: moving in a slow struggling way especially as a result of physical bulkiness
3
: very old-fashioned in attitude or point of view
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