staid

1 of 2

adjective

: 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

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
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Adjective
Otto and Elise are so alive on the page, and noting how this staid couple who enjoyed their dull routines come alive with their small acts of resistance is breathtaking. Rabih Alameddine september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025 There is a swirl of vibrant Louis Vuitton bags, which Jacobs enlisted the artist Takashi Murakami to create, replacing the line’s staid signature brown background and gold logo with color and infusing the design with a youthful energy. Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025 Toni Servillo plays the president of Italy, who is staid to a fault (just like the movie), though with hidden depths. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025 This is not your stuffy and staid luxury hotel; the clientele at the Villa Magna was noticeably stylish, sophisticated, and attractive. Erica Wertheim Zohar, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for staid

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of stay entry 3

First Known Use

Adjective

1557, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of staid was in 1557

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Staid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staid. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

staid

1 of 2 adjective
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

More from Merriam-Webster on staid

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