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

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 The higher vamp on glove-style shoes is classy but not stuffy and looks effortlessly cool. — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 8 Sep. 2026 The breathable mesh upper on these sneakers help keep your feet from feeling stuffy, while the lightweight midsole adds extra cushion with every step. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026 Good Good is a group of young golfers who play out their lighter-hearted version of the traditionally stuffy sport to millions of YouTube views. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026 However, during the fall and spring months, when the temperature inside the home is already comfortable, the air can get stuffy, especially if the windows have been closed due to rain, strong winds, or other unpleasant weather. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 24 Aug. 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
  • The first five conditions describe any lasting affectionate bond, such as a close friendship.
    — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
  • While formally a candidate for European Union membership, Serbia’s accession process has stalled under Vucic, who maintains close ties with Russia and China.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • Despite its tranquil reputation, knitting is anything but boring.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
  • On the North Side, a site is being prepped for the digging of an access tunnel 70 feet in diameter into which a giant boring machine will begin tunneling 15 miles under and along our three rivers.
    — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Coach There’s no better feeling than walking into your last show of the day, irritable and hungry, only to discover that snacks are being served.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • If a relative or housemate seems irritable, ask what’s going on instead of working around the mood.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 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
  • The repetition can grow tiring, but that frustration is precisely the point.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Even on a long, tiring shoot, the cast mostly still finds the energy to celebrate each other.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • Ramsey is one of TV’s hottest actors right now, with previous roles including the fiery Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, survivalist Ellie in The Last of Us and drug addict Kelsey in Time.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The operation has not been publicly announced, but was met with fiery reaction from Newsom.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 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 slow rate at which this is occurring indicates this cosmic vampirism will last for hundreds of thousands to billions of years.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The problem is that these systems are slow, expensive and don’t scale.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow

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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 9 Oct. 2026.

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