stilted

adjective

stilt·​ed ˈstil-təd How to pronounce stilted (audio)
1
2
: having the curve beginning at some distance above the impost
a stilted arch
stiltedly adverb
stiltedness noun

Examples of stilted in a Sentence

the conversation was somewhat stilted as we didn't seem to share any interests a stilted letter of apology that was written and accepted with equal measures of insincerity
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The stilted writing and direction, sadly, leave a lot to be desired: Emotions are under-explored and the humor misfires, with a perfectly capable cast asked to deliver some truly clunky lines. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 9 June 2025 The two traded off lines throughout the always-incendiary new wave classic, and then Rodrigo joined Byrne in some of his signature on-stage moves — bending her knees, running in place, and generally looking his traditional combination of charmingly stilted and impossibly cool. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 8 June 2025 But just down the 5 Freeway in Anaheim, the home of Disney, the hottest ticket in baseball this weekend belongs to a stilted pitcher, juggling infielders and a yellow-suited, top hat-wearing carnival barker. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025 The awkward commercial has recently begun to recirculate around the internet, resulting in pairs of TikTokers recreating the visual in endearing clips gently poking at the stilted chemistry of the original. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for stilted

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of stilted was in 1820

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stilted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stilted. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

stilted

adjective
stilt·​ed ˈstil-təd How to pronounce stilted (audio)
: not easy and natural
stilted speech

More from Merriam-Webster on stilted

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!