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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stilted
Drafting in English and translating often produces stilted, unnatural messages.
—
Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
But after the pyrotechnics between Julia and Adriana, all of these conversations seem strange and stilted.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
The 21-year-old model walked slower than the other models, opting for a stilted gait in her white patent-leather pumps.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for stilted
Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
But after the pyrotechnics between Julia and Adriana, all of these conversations seem strange and stilted.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
The 21-year-old model walked slower than the other models, opting for a stilted gait in her white patent-leather pumps.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for stilted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stilted
Adjective
-
Although the meeting went smoothly and led to concrete commitments, the bonhomie was strained by uncomfortable questions at a news conference about the issue hanging over the day’s diplomacy.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Rather than telegraphing trouble in paradise, the move could simply be a styling choice—or a response to high temperatures, which cause one’s hands to swell and can make wearing a ring uncomfortable.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The entertainment rooms can serve as places to enjoy cocktails and billiards (both villas feature Steinway & Sons grand pianos), the dining rooms feel cinematic without being too formal, and the bedroom suites favor comfort rather than flashiness.—
David Morris,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
-
City leaders say the rules are needed because Rocklin currently has no formal regulations in place to monitor or enforce mobile vending activity.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The couple's appearance comes just days after Cher appeared on Shepard's Armchair Expert and dropped a few awkward moments with the hosts.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
This mind-melter from Charlie Kaufman centers on an enigmatic Buckley as the conflicted girlfriend of Jesse Plemons’s awkward Jake, who takes her to meet his incredibly strange parents (Toni Collette and David Thewlis).—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Mission Trails is a great place to go for a nice little hike or a beautiful little walk.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Kitchen Lux Ribbed Drinking Glasses, Set of 6 These ribbed glasses are made to handle daily use while still looking nice enough to set out when guests come over.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But in that moment, my 40 years of skiing experience evaporated, and the bulletproof snow and thick crowds transformed me into an anxious and clumsy mess.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Following the adventures of the titular sheep, the franchise’s latest takes place at Mossy Bottom Farm on Halloween Eve, watching as excitement turns to dismay when the clumsy Farmer ruins the pumpkin patch.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Let it be said, though, that ruling this fairyland—where sweets jump through hoops, perky as peppermint, or swirl around, rich as Spanish chocolate—requires not just a decorous carriage and a cordial disposition but true ballerina grit.—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
9 Dec. 2025
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The affair grows less decorous in farcical scenes of upstairs and downstairs life — kitchen staff toiling away on blunts, a trigger-happy shooting party, and cockney pub patrons breaking out in song — and the various side plots.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
3 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Neighbors fear rising violence Residents said the shooting has left them uneasy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
But by evening, an uneasy calm had settled across the city.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
More convincing in the film is cinematographer Talant Akynbekov’s observant, almost ceremonious lensing of carpet weaving, as well as of the beats of everyday life, sometimes accompanied by the traditional tunes villagers hum.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
23 Nov. 2025
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The band’s official end was even less ceremonious.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stilted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stilted. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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