Synonyms of stuffy

stuffy

adjective

ˈstə-fē 

1

as in close

lacking fresh air

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• close
• stifling
• suffocating
• breathless
• thick
• airless
• oppressive
• heavy
• unventilated
• fuggy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breezy
• airy
• sweet
• refreshing
• unstuffy
• brisk
• bracing
• reviving
• restorative
• ventilated
• invigorating
• refreshed

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

• boring
• tiring
• dusty
• old
• slow
• stupid
• dull
• weary
• wearying
• heavy
• dry
• annoying
• stodgy
• irritating
• drab
• monotonous
• stale
• uninteresting
• tiresome
• tedious
• tame
• dreary
• humdrum
• pedestrian
• leaden
• arid
• wearisome
• colorless
• ponderous
• monochromatic
• numbing
• jejune
• sterile
• ho-hum
• exhausting
• flat
• pallid
• mind-numbing
• jading
• drudging
• blah
• unimaginative
• soggy
• barren
• prosaic
• gray
• spiritless
• prosy
• unexciting
• pedantic
• blank
• irksome
• dullish
• uninspiring
• aseptic
• draining
• bothersome
• unrewarding
• earthbound
• uneventful
• inanimate
• unsensational
• undramatic
• unspectacular
• ordinary
• fatiguing
• cumbersome
• wearing
• common
• debilitating
• discouraging
• vapid
• dispiriting
• commonplace
• poky
• enervating
• suspenseless
• tepid
• pleasureless
• demoralizing
• unnewsworthy
• unexceptional
• lumbering
• disheartening
• plodding
• unsurprising
• palling
• longsome
• enfeebling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interesting
• involving
• engaging
• intriguing
• wonderful
• surprising
• engrossing
• exciting
• absorbing
• riveting
• spectacular
• gripping
• amazing
• sensational
• wondrous
• entertaining
• stimulating
• awesome
• amusing
• marvelous
• fabulous
• exhilarating
• inspiring
• charming
• astonishing
• thrilling
• rousing
• breathtaking
• attractive
• astounding
• energizing
• electrifying
• moving
• stirring
• alluring
• animating
• enchanting
• fascinating
• invigorating
• enlivening
• poignant
• attracting
• touching
• entrancing
• enthralling
• beguiling
• bewitching
• rip-roaring
• galvanizing
• diverting
• provocative
• eye-opening
• hair-raising
• suspenseful
• captivating
• tantalizing
• spellbinding
• arresting
• mesmerizing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritable
• fiery
• crotchety
• peevish
• grouchy
• grumpy
• crabby
• petulant
• waspish
• irascible
• snappish
• testy
• cranky
• snarky
• raspy
• out of humor
• out of sorts
• choleric
• pettish
• cross
• snippy
• passionate
• sensitive
• ratty
• prickly
• perverse
• disagreeable
• short
• cantankerous
• short-tempered
• curmudgeonly
• ornery
• contentious
• quick-tempered
• snappy
• bilious
• querulous
• dyspeptic
• combative
• snippety
• surly
• argumentative
• fretful
• snarly
• pugnacious
• belligerent
• bellicose
• tetchy
• fractious
• quarrelsome
• sullen
• sulky
• ill-humored
• truculent
• ill-tempered
• huffy
• pouty
• bearish
• disputatious
• ill-natured
• scrappy
• off-color
• cross-grained
• touchy
• thin-skinned
• hot-blooded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• friendly
• genial
• cordial
• affable
• outgoing
• gregarious
• sociable
• companionable
• amiable
• agreeable
• sweet
• extroverted
• good-natured
• relaxed
• easygoing
• carefree
• patient
• stoic
• good-tempered
• tolerant
• well-disposed
• understanding
• uncomplaining
• long-suffering
• obliging
• forbearing
• happy-go-lucky

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stuffy

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

Does little Arabella care about going to another stuffy awards dinner with her pompous dad? — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 July 2026

To elevate them to something that looks polished and trendy—rather than dated or stuffy—the key is to combine them with the biggest shirt trends of 2026. — René Chávez Esparza, Glamour, 17 July 2026