variants or stoical
Definition of stoicnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word stoic distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of stoic are apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, and stolid. While all these words mean "unresponsive to something that might normally excite interest or emotion," stoic implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often as a matter of principle or self-discipline.

was resolutely stoic even in adversity

When is it sensible to use apathetic instead of stoic?

The synonyms apathetic and stoic are sometimes interchangeable, but apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness.

charitable appeals met an apathetic response

When could impassive be used to replace stoic?

The words impassive and stoic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression.

met the news with an impassive look

When can phlegmatic be used instead of stoic?

While in some cases nearly identical to stoic, phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse.

a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears

When would stolid be a good substitute for stoic?

While the synonyms stolid and stoic are close in meaning, stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity.

stolid workers wedded to routine

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stoic Charming, well-heeled, and dedicated to raising his daughters to honor the family name, Harris (Dallas) is a hard worker, a loyal husband, and stoic in the face of crisis. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 May 2026 Throughout modern history, first ladies have often served as the empathetic, emotive counterpart to their husbands, who tend to remain more manly and stoic. Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 28 Apr. 2026 However, when a stoic drifter named Herald Loomis (Joshua Boone) and his young daughter, Zonia (Savannah Commodore) arrive on their doorstep, the Holly’s world turns on its axis. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 26 Apr. 2026 No manuscript of American history is complete without footnotes to its bookstores, and many of them have been much more than stoic spectators to the country’s evolution. Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stoic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stoic
Adjective
  • Union officials announced their intention to go on strike one month ago to allow UC to prepare for potential disruptions to patient services given the size of the labor group.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026
  • In addiction medicine, this type of frequent patient contact would be invaluable for informational purposes as well as successful adherence to treatment plans.
    Steve D. Klein, STAT, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Your calm precision can keep the whole plan from wobbling.
    Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
  • The outset of war finds her wary yet calm, and our knowledge of her composure under siege means that all following emotional displays shake us like miniature earthquakes.
    Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • Legislation and lawmakers revolved around it in a predictable, if not always passive, pattern.
    Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
  • Pointing up the cinematic objectification of women, the work transformed the female body from a passive, sexualized object to an active participant in a public action in which players were forced to reckon with the roles assigned them by a patriarchal society.
    News Desk, Artforum, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • Kinlaw remained stolid throughout most of the public comment period and did not address calls for his resignation.
    Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026
  • At the outset, Martin (William Giammona) is as stolid as a piece of furniture, standing stock still at center stage, the black rectangle through which the other actors enter and exit like a deep void behind him.
    Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Just think of all those vacant Madonnas, structurally perfect compositions, and obedient daydreams of antiquity.
    Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Always obedient, Agnes happily welcomes Daisy despite Shu’s warnings.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Bakri’s face is impassive and exhausted during this casual debasement, his voice low, and his tone deadpan, as though Salim has been forced to do all this a million times before.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Dressed in a blue sweatshirt and surrounded by court officers, Henderson remained impassive.
    Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The story of children financially supporting their immigrant parents can feed into the myth of the Asian American model minority, which, in part, stereotypes Asian Americans as obedient, hard-working and uncomplaining.
    Mike Dang, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2023
  • Queen Elizabeth II was formal, interested, uncomplaining, and always respectful.
    Caitlin Flanagan, The Atlantic, 12 Nov. 2022
Adjective
  • Shinichi Atobe’s arresting house and techno beams with inimitable candor, built from bright, phlegmatic loops that run on an eccentric internal logic.
    Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Kunzweiler, a phlegmatic, gray-haired career prosecutor a generation older, prized the finality of a jury verdict — and the punishment that went with it.
    Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stoic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stoic. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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