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

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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

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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 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 In the decades since, the piece has evolved to be made with leather cords instead—an alternative to the traditional stuffy tie—and worn by cowboys while riding. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026 The restaurant’s interior features plush velvet, leather and touches of gold throughout, creating a refined space without feeling stuffy. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2026 And, yet, we’re supposed to take from it that Newsom isn’t just another stuffy old white dude in a suit. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 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. slow
Adjective
  • With six couples, having two separate houses gave us space to spread out while keeping everyone close enough to gather for dinner, drinks, and games.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026
  • These regions could warrant closer investigation, but the assessment does not establish that any is suitable for a future greenhouse.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • Let’s start with tracking Savu, where, because of the tiny tribes, the most obvious and boring thing ends up happening.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Smith is betting that in a market where every phone looks the same, the bigger risk is being boring.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 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
  • Hundreds of people in Toledo, Ohio, remain evacuated from their homes as officials work to resolve a fiery chemical leak that began Tuesday.
    — Lana Zak, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Here was the humble trade unionist, born into extreme poverty, standing up as a fiery-eyed tribune of the workers.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 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
  • The song develops into a slow-burn, lighters-up jam, its long, unhurried coda like getting lost in a sea of echoing, overlapping memories.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Protein and fiber slow digestion, supporting satiety and healthy blood sugar regulation.
    — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow

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Cite this Entry

“Stuffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuffy. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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