staid

1 of 2

adjective

ˈstād 

: marked by settled sedateness and often prim self-restraint : sober, grave

staidly adverb

staidness noun

staid

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of stay

Synonyms

Adjective

• solemn
• serious
• stern

Choose the Right Synonym for staid

serious, grave, solemn, sedate, staid, sober, earnest mean not light or frivolous.

serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Examples of staid in a Sentence

Adjective

a staid and solemn businessman

everyone was surprised by the racy joke from the usually staid professor

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For much of the last century, three organizations dominated the industry, a relatively staid and unglamorous corner of the music scene that remained largely unchanged throughout the eras of radio, records and CDs. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 July 2025

Shooter came of age in an industry that was both staid and stuck in traditions yet unusually open in a way that a phone call from an editor to a kid could make dreams come true. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025

The result was a rather staid race by Bristol standards — not the typical hard-racing, fender-rubbing, finger-pointing action that has made the short track one of the most popular and iconic on NASCAR’s schedule. —Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

Key highlights in the outing will translate to selling floor intrigue and ostensibly sales in a staid market that needs excitement to churn buying motivation. —Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of stay entry 3

First Known Use

Adjective

1557, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for staid

• aid
• aide
• bade
• blade
• braid
• clade
• dade
• fade
• flayed
• fraid
• frayed
• gade

Kids Definition

staid

1 of 2 adjective

ˈstād 

1

: not easily changed : settled, fixed

a staid opinion

2

a

: calm and serious in manner, attitude, or style

b

: not bold, bright, or showy

staid colors

staidly adverb

staidness noun

staid

2 of 2

past and past participle of stay