STUFFY Synonyms: 266 Similar and Opposite Words

stuffy

adjective

ˈstə-fē

Definition of stuffy

as in close

lacking fresh air the house was very stuffy after being closed up for a month

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Pseudoephedrine pills or nasal spray can relieve a stuffy nose or sinus pressure by restricting blood vessels and opening airways in your nasal passages. — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026 Even while dripping in haute couture, Edebiri somehow never appears stuffy or unapproachable — quite the opposite. — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Flu symptoms may include fever, chills, a cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue or gastrointestinal issues, such as vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Seconds ticked by as the two of them stood there, silence unspooling in the stuffy entryway of the flat. — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stuffy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuffy

Adjective

His closest competitor, Chris Brown, sang about navigating teenage love.

— Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
Here’s a closer look at where those marks rank in UM history.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of close

Adjective

Some have complained that Becerra is an unworthy, boring torchbearer for Latinos — not dynamic enough to meet a moment where many hoped for a firebrand.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Sure, this may sound kind of boring, but the city in the southern Guangdong province has also just been named as the country's leader in wealthy entrepreneurs and is the beating heart of China's AI and tech industry.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of boring

Adjective

Murray says her own experience has made her more understanding when female colleagues seem more tired or irritable than usual, particularly when the behavior is out of character.

— Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026
Could be because for much of the running time, Abrams’ Jay Gardiner is up against what looks like a very large irritable sphincter.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 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

Tommy Gemmell, advanced from left-back, provided the equaliser on 63 minutes and with Inter tiring and Celtic still pushing, Chalmers scored the famous winner with six minutes left.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
But after a while, the lack of grounding gets tiring, as various supernatural shenanigans appear to be determined more by plot convenience than anything else.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of tiring

Adjective

The sky is ablaze with fiery colors all along the horizon where the deep lunar shadow drops off.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026
Sometimes the bag is the outfit, as evidenced by this fiery red mini bag that delivers a punchy pop of color.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of fiery

Adjective

Scientists suspect that the combination of high heat and a suffocating deep-tropical air mass will be considered the worst humidity the region has experienced in the modern era.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Eilish will play Greenwood, the brilliant young woman at the center of Plath’s semi-autobiographical story, which follows her descent into mental illness amid the suffocating expectations placed on women in 1950s America.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of suffocating

Adjective

Stuttering drum patterns and elastic basslines rub up against glossy keyboards and slow piano chords, blending early 2000s sounds with the futuristic sensuality of Kelela.

— Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
On the earnings growth front, while emerging markets on average are expected to deliver a 45% improvement, India's forecast is much slower at 11%, as per Bernstein.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of slow

Browse Nearby Words

stuffs

stuffy

stumble

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Style

“Stuffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuffy. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of stuffy

adjective

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