stuffy

adjective

ˈstə-fē How to pronounce stuffy (audio)
Definition of stuffynext
1
as in close
lacking fresh air the house was very stuffy after being closed up for a month

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed those nursing home residents with a reputation for being chronically stuffy were usually the last to receive attention

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Get mildly uncomfortable in some stuffy air, sweat a little, then… leave? — Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Walking the ship, the service was warm and friendly whereas the wait staff in the dining spaces edged closer to formal, though not stuffy. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026 Sure, this outfit would look more sophisticated with a black glove flat, but that feels too stuffy in the summer. — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 26 July 2026 Furniture Spacing Placing your furniture too close together can make things feel stuffy and warmer. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stuffy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuffy
  1. close
  2. boring
  3. irritable
  4. stifling
  5. tiring
  6. fiery
  7. suffocating
  8. dusty
Adjective
  • This is something the First Alert Weather Team will keep a close eye on throughout the week.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Makhachev’s record-setting victory came over Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) in one of Makhachev’s closest fights.
    — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • The boring rosters, the passive-aggressive press conferences, the endless parade of mediocre seasons — cresting and falling with an inexplicable 2021 and 2026 — has been brutal to watch.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The real world is always more boring than sci-fi, but solving this part of the puzzle will still be fascinating and not easy.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Skipping meals can negatively affect blood sugar levels and leave you feeling hungry, irritable, and unable to pay attention.
    — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an irritable, cynical weatherman sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to report a story about the town’s quaint groundhog ceremony.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • For all the deserved talk about the Knicks’ dynamic offense, the defense has been far more stifling than their reputation suggests.
    — Fred Katz, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • Her mother, who had a staid upbringing in California, came to New York in the early sixties looking for someplace more diverse and less stifling.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of stifling
Adjective
  • Food & Drink You’ll find just two dining venues on the property, The Dining Room (which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and the poolside Palapa Bar, but there’s no chance of tiring of the fare.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Permanent Marker Removal Trying to scrub permanent marker away is tiring, time-consuming, and often futile without some type of product to loosen the marker.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • As important and inspiring as any is the one camouflaged by Fred Warner’s business-as-usual, ultra-fiery demeanor.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Miami settled for a 2-2 tie in a physical, fiery game that ended with Miami’s Yannick Bright and Philadelphia phenom, 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan, ejected with red cards in the 12th minute of stoppage time, just before the final whistle.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of fiery
Adjective
  • The Valkyries won their third straight game, defeating the Sparks 78-58 behind a suffocating defensive performance.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
  • The Fleet played a suffocating style of hockey, with a strong forecheck and the ability to wear down opponents with relentless offensive-zone pressure.
    — Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of suffocating
Adjective
  • Say goodbye to dusty interiors and read on for our top picks for the best cordless stick vacuums, spin mops, and two-in-one vac-and-mop robot vacs.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Even as dusty plasma at small scales organizes itself in two dimensions, the researchers plan to carry to out 3D simulations in the future.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dusty

Browse Nearby Words

stuffs
stuffy
stumble
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Cite this Entry

“Stuffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuffy. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stuffy for Spanish Speakers

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