stuffy

adjective

ˈstə-fē 

stuffier; stuffiest

1

: ill-natured, ill-humored

2

: lacking in vitality or interest : stodgy, dull

3

a

: oppressive to the breathing : close

a stuffy room

b

: stuffed up

a stuffy nose

4

a

: narrowly inflexible in standards of conduct : self-righteous

b

: stiffly conventional : priggish

stuffy formalities

stuffily

ˈstə-fə-lē 

adverb

stuffiness

ˈstə-fē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of stuffy

• close
• stifling
• suffocating
• breathless

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

Gone are the stuffy traditional décor and heavy wood furnishings that had dominated much of the hotel, and in its place is a seamless contemporary design inspired by the glam Berlin of the 1920s. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

Keep Air Circulating One of the easiest ways to tackle a painfully hot and stuffy garage in the summer is to keep air circulating. —Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 2 June 2026

Their silhouette is classic but not stuffy, and elevated but never fussy. —Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 31 May 2026

This means the majority of people with seasonal allergies will experience strong symptoms including sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, watery eyes and a postnasal drip. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stuffy

• buffy
• fluffy
• puffy
• scruffy

Kids Definition

stuffy

adjective

ˈstəf-ē 

stuffier; stuffiest

1

: sullen sense 1, ill-humored

2

a

: lacking fresh air

a stuffy room

b

: stuffed or choked up

had a stuffy feeling in my head

3

: lacking in pep or interest : dull, stodgy

4

: self-righteous

stuffily

ˈstəf-ə-lē 

adverb

stuffiness

ˈstəf-ē-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

stuffy

adjective

ˈstəf-ē 

stuffier; stuffiest

: affected with congestion

a stuffy nose

stuffiness

ˈstəf-ē-nəs 

noun