1
2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest nothing stuffy about this science museum—it's all interactive and fun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

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 stuffy Bingo! Alivia's tantrum hack—to keep things lighthearted—is a simple one, but a great reminder that not everything has to be so stuffy. Tanay Howard, Parents, 8 Oct. 2024 Or maybe a stuffy, lackluster atmosphere puts a damper on the entire getaway. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2024 Frame has disproved the notion that jeans are stuffy and uncomfortable for commuting with this black Jetset Crop Mini Boot pair. Amanda Randone, refinery29.com, 13 Feb. 2024 But in 2024, do those stuffier parameters—which celebrate beauty above all else—still constitute what makes costuming great? Liam Hess, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for stuffy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuffy
Adjective
  • Some of the women became her close friends, and one became a longtime girlfriend.
    Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
  • Or, that their connection through her stepdad was not close enough to matter.
    Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • Corner infielders Carlos Santana (1B, CLE): The definition of boring and solid.
    Owen Poindexter, New York Times, 13 June 2025
  • These pre-seasoned staples can revive boring veggies or fix a bland soup in no time flat.
    Sarah Felbin, SELF, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • Cass fulfills his obligations in a particularly irritable way.
    Jesse Hassenger, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2025
  • One person’s fatigue is another’s back pain, is another’s migraine or irritable bowel, or long Covid, and so on.
    Jessica DuLong, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The 35-year-old started 22 of the 24 games Cronenworth missed with a fractured rib and was clearly tiring at the end, going 3-for-30 in his final nine starts.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025
  • Bradley was clearly tiring, having struggled at times defensively in the second half.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • But, Jackson pairs them with a matching black leotard and a floor-length trench coat, letting all the attention fall on the fiery red pointed pumps.
    Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • Charles Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie Charles from Little House on the Prairie has a fiery spirit aligning him with the zodiac sign.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • But Finch was unable to come up with any schematic answers for OKC’s suffocating defense or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ruthlessness on offense.
    Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • The stiff feel, plus the suffocating heat of summer in NYC, is a recipe for disaster.
    Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • If soil clumps fall apart between your fingers or the texture is dusty, the soil is too dry and more water is needed.
    Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025
  • Resilience carried a rover with a shovel to gather lunar dirt as well as a Swedish artist's toy-size red house for placement on the moon's dusty surface.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution.
    Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2011

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stuffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuffy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on stuffy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!