stuffier; stuffiest
1
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 adverb
stuffiness noun

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 And his love of golf is helping to break barriers, with rappers like 2 Chainz and Offset among the celebrities following Khaled’s lead and getting more involved in the historically stuffy, white pastime. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2023 Timberland somehow combines street-style sensibility with hiking performance features like mesh linings and OrthoLite footbeds for a full-grain leather boot that wouldn’t look out of place in even the stuffiest office. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 13 Apr. 2023 That’s the thing about linen—even the dressiest pieces never look stuffy; there is something inherently casual about them. Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2023 The adjustable flaps on the rainfly allowed for extra airflow, which is necessary during the summer months or early in the morning when the rising sun makes things stuffy. Olivia Avitt, Peoplemag, 24 May 2023 When the designer, who died today at 93, burst onto the scene in the mid-1950s, fashion was still stuffy, starchy, and decidedly grown-up. Véronique Hyland, ELLE, 14 Apr. 2023 Many of them prefer data science or finance, while accounting struggles with a stuffier, more old-fashioned image. Christopher Rugaber, Anchorage Daily News, 2 June 2023 Unfortunately, the ventilation system falls short of modern standards: the cabin becomes unusually stuffy when the fan isn't used to boost circulation. William Jeanes, Car and Driver, 28 Apr. 2023 Navalny is now serving his 13th stint in solitary confinement in a small, stuffy punishment cell, and has spent a total of four months in such conditions. Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stuffy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stuffy was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near stuffy

Cite this Entry

“Stuffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stuffy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stuffy

adjective
stuffier; stuffiest
1
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
stuffily adverb
stuffiness noun

Medical Definition

stuffy

adjective
stuffier; stuffiest
: affected with congestion
a stuffy nose
stuffiness noun

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