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

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

Few ideas on Wall Street have been better than the reinvention of insurance from stodgy backwater to dealmakers’ playground. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Plus, the lemon brings contrasting brightness that keeps it from tasting stodgy. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 July 2026

To turn a team featuring Mbappe, Dembele, Barcola and Griezmann, among others, into such a stodgy mess feels impossible. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 July 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