1
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
the conversation was somewhat stilted as we didn't seem to share any interests
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2
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
a stilted letter of apology that was written and accepted with equal measures of insincerity
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Recent Examples of stilted
Floating above the treetops on a stilted concrete walkway, with rooms situated inside a series of glass cylinders, the futuristic-looking hotel will reimagine high-end hospitality through the same lens of experimental design as the residences.
—
Siobhan Reid, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025
Donovan’s Meyers is fascinating in his stilted weirdness, a bit of a dandy and a bit of a dork.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, on the banks, cooking classes sizzle with lemongrass and tamarind—as water buffalo graze lazily beside stilted homes.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The stilted writing and direction, sadly, leave a lot to be desired: Emotions are under-explored and the humor misfires, with a perfectly capable cast asked to deliver some truly clunky lines.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stilted
Siobhan Reid, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025
Donovan’s Meyers is fascinating in his stilted weirdness, a bit of a dandy and a bit of a dork.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, on the banks, cooking classes sizzle with lemongrass and tamarind—as water buffalo graze lazily beside stilted homes.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
The stilted writing and direction, sadly, leave a lot to be desired: Emotions are under-explored and the humor misfires, with a perfectly capable cast asked to deliver some truly clunky lines.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stilted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stilted
Adjective
-
In its eerie, uncomfortable depiction of Derry as a toxic version of the all-American town, the series is sometimes more powerful than when Pennywise jumps at the screen.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
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There’s certainly an authenticity to this development; who among us hasn’t procrastinated when facing an uncomfortable decision?—
Kristen Baldwin,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home spanned about 3,800 square feet, with wood-burning fireplaces gracing the formal living and dining rooms on the main floor.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
23 Oct. 2025
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Reason for Wausau's closure isn't clear In the letter, a formal notification that complies with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, Wausau's group vice president of the snow and ice division, JP Bourque, did not indicate the reason for the company's closure.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Frederick Wherry, Kristin Seefeldt, and Anthony Alvarez examine the strategies potential lenders use to make these interactions less awkward.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
27 Oct. 2025
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Talk about awkward reunions at unlikely places, if this does happen.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With that in mind, his glowing comments on Jeter paid a nice tribute.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In her opinion, a courthouse wedding or a small ceremony in a family member's backyard would have been just as nice, Kate said.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Even the basic details of the situation can sound like the clumsy plot of some apocalyptic thriller.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
An exceptionally clumsy device.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
California native of the week: California geranium (Geranium californium) is a perennial endemic to the Sierra Nevada that grows into a one-foot mound bearing flowers in white, pink, or lavender with large, highly decorous palmate leaves.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
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The hearings are usually decorous affairs, where anger is routine but controlled.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Lawler, the best known of the young actors thanks to her breakout work in Station Eleven, brings welcome awkward humor, while Stack, with the series’ most complex character, conveys an uneasy grasp on sanity that the rest of the show isn’t really prepared to deal with.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
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BofA also points to a record 54% of investors who now believe that AI stocks are in a bubble, according to its most recent Global Fund Manager Survey—another reason for heightened vigilance around the market’s uneasy exuberance.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The extended ovation following Kershaw’s ceremonious exit in the top of the fifth preceded the uncontrollable catharsis of Shohei Ohtani’s go-ahead home run in the bottom of the fifth, a three-run shot that pierced the Giants’ soul.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
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Today is the eleven year anniversary of the release of Destiny, perhaps not as ceremonious as last year’s tenth anniversary, one that did not end the series, but Bungie presses on.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stilted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stilted. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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