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Synonym Chooser

How is the word staid different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of staid are earnest, grave, sedate, serious, sober, and solemn. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Where would earnest be a reasonable alternative to staid?

While the synonyms earnest and staid are close in meaning, earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

When can grave be used instead of staid?

While in some cases nearly identical to staid, grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When is sedate a more appropriate choice than staid?

The meanings of sedate and staid largely overlap; however, sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

In what contexts can serious take the place of staid?

The words serious and staid can be used in similar contexts, but serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

When could sober be used to replace staid?

In some situations, the words sober and staid are roughly equivalent. However, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When would solemn be a good substitute for staid?

The words solemn and staid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

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 staid Once seen as something lazy stoners used and a sign of the decline of civilization, it has now been embraced by such staid organizations as AARP and the Food and Drug Administration. Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2025 Going from the staid post-Impressionism of her artistic education at London’s Slade School of Fine Art to a world of dreams, magic, and the uncanny opened a door. Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 18 Mar. 2025 Samsung includes a staid flat black set with the TV, and white and wood-textured bezels are available for purchase separately. PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025 While the stock market was in the midst of yet another meltdown, the normally staid bond market began to gyrate wildly. Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for staid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staid
Adjective
  • President Trump Makes His Entrance At Pope Francis' Funeral By Emma Marsden Freelance News Reporter Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 7 Pope Francis' funeral took place in a solemn ceremony at the Vatican on Saturday, drawing hundreds of thousands of mourners from around the world.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
  • And when public figures die, the resulting rituals can sit awkwardly between a solemn, respectful wake and a chance to personally capture a moment in history.
    Issy Ronald and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The far more imposing limit is MLS’s global standing.
    Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
  • And on the other hand, in a world where most of their top arms remain healthy and effective, the Dodgers could possess one of the most imposing starting pitching staffs in recent memory.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But legal experts said a criminal contempt finding would be a serious step to be avoided.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • The restaurant sector must get in the game in order to make a serious dent on improving customer health.
    Hank Cardello, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The research was designed to capture a look at much of the world, said study lead and report contributor Dr. Byron Johnson, distinguished professor of the social sciences at Baylor in Waco, Texas.
    Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Only this season for Valladolid has proved anything but distinguished.
    Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Raid 2, for instance, a two and a half hour crime and punishment epic, boils down to one man’s struggle to win the approval of his stern father; whether this is significant to Evans’ life or not, the motif nonetheless transitions cleanly into Havoc.
    Andy Crump, Time, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has issued a stern warning about a predatory fish that can grow up to 3 feet long, slither across land and breathe air.
    Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • According to a 2020 HuffPost report, Trump was present at only four of the 96 dignified transfers that occurred during his first term.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
  • With Good Night, and Good Luck, Clooney and his collaborators give a dignified and resonant answer.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, they are selected and rearranged to form a narrative of gradual debasement: a semantic descent from the decorous to the vulgar, often ending with crude references to the body.
    Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025
  • Aside from a series of gruesome martyr scenes frescoed on the interior wall of the second ring in the late 16th century, the decor reflects late Imperial taste for decorous abstraction and costly materials.
    The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The original show’s focus was Thomas Ravenel and Shep Rose, two male members of the aristocratic class in South Carolina.
    Taylor Crumpton, Essence, 11 Apr. 2025
  • But by the 18th century the Republic of Venice was in decline, and some aristocratic families, though still noble in name, had lost much of their wealth and could not afford a substantial dowry.
    Manuela Callari, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Staid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staid. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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