variants or stoical
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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 During the hearing, the normally stoic Ohta repeatedly rolled his eyes and groaned at prosecutors’ attempts to justify the case. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025 That’s not in the stoic, veteran goaltender’s demeanor. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025 But Marist coach Colleen Phelan was matter-of-fact and stoic about a season that ended a bit earlier than was expected. Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025 The stoic Eleanor McCallister has crossed paths with Harry Vanderspeigle a few times over, but never has their reunion been so revealing and emotional. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for stoic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stoic
Adjective
  • This might include board compositions that balance quarterly oversight with generational strategy, compensation systems that reward long-term value creation, and communication strategies that educate the different stakeholders about the value of patient capital.
    Esade Business & Law School, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • In reviewing the data, Consumer Protection Policy Center found that participation rates are extremely low (less than 1%) and show little measurable impact on patient protection.
    Marcus Friedman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Human error is more likely when IT professionals are overwhelmed by alerts and false positives, causing teams to become numb to the noise.
    Travis Runty, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • Goldberg asked, questioning if Americans had grown numb to Trump’s use of pardons.
    Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 28 May 2025
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
  • There’s something wonderfully timeless about pushing off from shore in a canoe as the paddles dip quietly through calm water as dragonflies skim by.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 29 June 2025
  • What if your government made the calm, rational decision that your country must cease to exist, then set about shutting it down in stages, as the currency became worthless and the population scrambled to emigrate?
    Judy Berman, Time, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • If 28 Days Later presaged our post-9/11 paranoia and dread, 28 Years Later settles into the resigned gloom of our modern age, where everything is rubbish and only getting worse.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
  • His resigned air in the press conference felt like a man who had too much to juggle to cross over the line first.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But the drama can be very stolid, borderline dull at times.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2025
  • Michelle DeYoung was a somewhat stolid Herodias, Piotr Buszewski a fiercely ardent Narraboth.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Because geniuses tend not to specialize in things like picking up after themselves, the human price is often paid by a long-suffering partner-secretary—wifely figures like Véra Nabokov, Sophia Tolstoy, and Alice B. Toklas, or the occasional husband like Leonard Woolf.
    S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
  • Two years later, the Kings hired Brown to change the fortunes of a long-suffering franchise.
    Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Whether from the return of fasting or sheer exhaustion, players may become impassive.
    Jason Anthony, The Atlantic, 14 June 2025
  • What To Know Several reporters tried to question Balmer as he was led out of the courthouse, but the suspect remained silent, only breaking his impassive stare by rolling his eyes upward into the back of his head and pushing out his tongue to cover his chin.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stoic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stoic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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