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 As far as excitement at this capstone achievement goes, Faltings doesn’t betray much, even by the stoic standards of German mathematicians. Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2026 Her artwork, silent, stoic, is a testament to what is lost, and could still be lost, when consumption and exploitation run unchecked and unchallenged. Tom Page, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026 Judge is the epitome of the stoic professional, a Yankee through and through. Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2026 And Jordan's performances as Smoke and Stack are indeed confident and distinctive, not just in their different sartorial choices but in their mannerisms, with the actor excelling at portraying both Smoke's stoic practicality and Stack's swaggering charm. Ken Simmons, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stoic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stoic
Adjective
  • Class action lawsuits, fragmented billing and steep regulatory fines due to patient privacy breaches and other issues often result in tens to hundreds of millions of dollars of losses.
    Jeffrey Tully, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The audit couldn’t explore the impact of the delays on patient survival rates, because federal patient privacy laws make collecting such data a major challenge, according to the audit and fire officials.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The beach is flat–just right for soccer or throwing a football–and the water is usually fairly calm and great for taking out a standup paddleboard or a surfboard.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
  • The mix of calm bordeaux and vibrant green makes for interesting styling indeed.
    Jana Ackermann, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The number appears in studies and policy briefs with clinical neutrality, as if time were a passive variable in a complex system.
    Sarah Berg, STAT, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The passive isolation is fair, providing the earbuds with a strong foundation for ANC.
    Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • During Saturn and Pluto’s sextile, your cautious 8th house and your stolid 6th house combine delicate topics with practical know-how.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2026
  • In the Afrikaans world of my childhood, dancing often meant the stolid vastrap (tight-step), the terrible langarm (long-arm, a two-step that desperately wants to be a one-step), or, worst of all, volkspele (national or popular games), compulsory in Afrikaans-medium state-run schools.
    Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Tariffs could be 'hard sell' in election year How obedient will the congressional GOP be to Trump in an election year?
    Justin Papp, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2026
  • The audience would do well to stay attuned to this goal — and how obedient Nat is willing to be.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Dressed in a blue sweatshirt and surrounded by court officers, Henderson remained impassive.
    Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Now the piano has something to play against, slinking, leaping, whipping, and swiveling like an agitated shark in a tank of impassive harmonies.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 3 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 29 Mar. 2026.

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