stodgy

adjective

ˈstä-jē 

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

2

a

: drab

b

: dowdy

3

: boring, dull

… out on a peaceful rather stodgy Sunday boat trip …

—Edna Ferber

4

: having a rich filling quality : heavy

stodgy bread

5

: moving in a slow plodding way especially as a result of physical bulkiness

stodgily

ˈstä-jə-lē 

adverb

stodginess

ˈstä-jē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of stodgy

• boring
• slow
• old
• tiring
• dull
• stupid
• weary
• dusty
• wearying
• heavy

Examples of stodgy in a Sentence

the sitcom was offbeat and interesting in its first season, but has since become predictable and stodgy

Recent Examples on the Web

While most dramas this long in the tooth trend toward decline, the series’ many innovations, in a frequently stodgy genre, continue to pay off. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

There's Seta, where chef Antonio Guida peps up sometimes stodgy northern Italian cuisine with scents of the south, but the beating heart is the Mandarin Bar & Bistrot. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026

The cuisine was also noteworthy, a generous choice of cocktails, wines, and cuisine with hints of contemporary English inspiration, while avoiding being British stodgy. — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026

Maybe that’s why vermouth still feels vaguely stodgy to some of us. — Devin Parr, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Rhymes for stodgy

• dodgy
• demagogy
• teleology

Kids Definition

stodgy

adjective

ˈstäj-ē 

stodgier; stodgiest

1

: moving in a slow struggling way especially as a result of physical bulkiness

2

: having no excitement or interest : dull, boring

a stodgy day

3

: very old-fashioned in attitude or point of view

stodgily

ˈstäj-ə-lē 

adverb