stuffier; stuffiest
1
4
a
: narrowly inflexible in standards of conduct : self-righteous
b
: stiffly conventional : priggish
stuffy formalities
Examples of stuffy in a Sentence
It's very stuffy in here.
She had a stuffy nose.
I had a stuffy feeling in my head.
the stuffiest members of that exclusive club
Recent Examples on the Web
But this isn’t stuffy butler service; instead, expect personable servers and wait staff who still anticipate your every needs, but who do it with a charming touch.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
Elizabeth lived in a small, stuffy room with no window to the outside.
—Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
Restaurants outfitted with white tablecloths, delicate stemware, and prix-fixe menus tend to be a little stuffy, but leave it to a city like New Orleans to make fine dining fun.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
The vibe is romantic and historic but not stuffy, with a design scheme that integrates elements of Japanese design into its bedrooms with floor beds, paper lanterns, and minimalist details.
—Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stuffy
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.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
Elizabeth lived in a small, stuffy room with no window to the outside.
—Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
Restaurants outfitted with white tablecloths, delicate stemware, and prix-fixe menus tend to be a little stuffy, but leave it to a city like New Orleans to make fine dining fun.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
The vibe is romantic and historic but not stuffy, with a design scheme that integrates elements of Japanese design into its bedrooms with floor beds, paper lanterns, and minimalist details.
—Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stuffy
Cite this Entry
“Stuffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stuffy. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stuffy
adjective
stuffier; stuffiest
2
a
: lacking fresh air
a stuffy room
b
: stuffed or choked up
had a stuffy feeling in my head
4
Medical Definition
stuffy
adjective
stuffier; stuffiest
: affected with congestion
a stuffy nose
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
