as in fogey
a person with old-fashioned ideas
a fuddy-duddy who thought that anyone too young to vote shouldn't be out past 8:00 p.m.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stodgy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fuddy-duddy
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
Her characters were women whose roles often implied their own eventual replacements: teachers, fading former love interests, fuddy-duddy old-fashioned relics.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
The good news is that for every fuddy-duddy like myself who can’t seem to get on board with crowdfunding kids’ lives, there are twice as many generous, kind-hearted individuals willing to give a little—or a lot—toward schools, sports, and charities.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 3 Feb. 2024
Another group of screenwriters have mocked Ms. Lombardini online as a fuddy-duddy who hangs out at chain restaurants, the taunt being that no Hollywood person would be caught dead in one.
—John Koblin, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023
Adjective
The father, Buddy Smart (Bryan Cranston), is the clan’s second-rate crackpot visionary, a cockeyed optimist who dresses in fuddy-duddy jackets and never knows where the next paycheck is coming from.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
Her characters were women whose roles often implied their own eventual replacements: teachers, fading former love interests, fuddy-duddy old-fashioned relics.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
The good news is that for every fuddy-duddy like myself who can’t seem to get on board with crowdfunding kids’ lives, there are twice as many generous, kind-hearted individuals willing to give a little—or a lot—toward schools, sports, and charities.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 3 Feb. 2024
Another group of screenwriters have mocked Ms. Lombardini online as a fuddy-duddy who hangs out at chain restaurants, the taunt being that no Hollywood person would be caught dead in one.
—John Koblin, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fuddy-duddy
Adjective
-
Many of the stodgier unwritten rules are ignored or no longer enforced, but some things remain constant, especially in the stands.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
23 Aug. 2025
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Peter Pan is the avatar of eternal childhood, refusal to become a stodgy old pirate.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This all comes amid multiple feuds between the ADL and several Christian conservatives, including podcasters Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, and concerns over the rise in antisemitism and whether free speech is being stifled in the name of combating it.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Earle-Sears has campaigned at northern Virginia school boards against inclusive LGBTQ policies in schools and accused Democrats of fostering violent hate against conservatives.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Once known for dowdy packaging and perhaps questionable tastes or ingredients, the products now compete with national name brands, sparking a shakeup among major food companies.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
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Defense leaders have sat on their hands, refusing to acknowledge the need for dowdy, run-of-the-mill tankers.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The veteran safety, one of only two first-string defensive backs to start and finish the game Sunday, sat alone in his locker still draped in nearly all his game attire, minus the jersey and shoulder pads.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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The veteran forward brought his family to live with him in Miami and dedicated the second half of his summer to getting acclimated to the area.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Really late developers, who might not be fully grown until around 20 or 21, could be 25 before their apophyseal sites are fully ossified.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fuddy-duddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fuddy-duddy. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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