Of speech, style, emotion, a person, etc.: vapid, insipid; lacking in substance or interest; thin, feeble, weak.

Of language, the arts, or other intellectual pursuits: refined, elegant, scholarly; exhibiting good or restrained taste.

Deficient, inferior. Of writing, artistic work, etc., or its style or subject matter: lacking fullness or elaboration; weak, unsatisfying.

Overworked; (also) excessively elaborate or laboured. Also as n.

Bare or destitute of ornament and grace; unadorned, meagrely simple. of literary style.

Lacking dynamic qualities; characterized by the absence of animation, energy, or zest. Of a thing, esp. a literary or artistic work.

Of literature, music, or other creative works: designed to be entertaining rather than thought-provoking.

Alluring by false show; showily or superficially attractive but having in reality no value or integrity.

Of a work of art or literature: regarded as enduring or exemplary. Cf. standard, adj. 3a. Obsolete.

Powerful in effect, having powerful effects; = effective, adj. 1. Now rare.

Like air in its lightness and buoyancy. Light, delicate, graceful in style or execution. Also, of a person or work of art: ingenious, witty.

In reference to style or taste, literary or artistic: Shunning redundance or unessential ornament; not florid or exuberant; sober, restrained…

In accordance with an acknowledged or conventional standard, esp. of literary or artistic style, or of manners or behaviour; proper.

of artistic style, etc.

Of a literary, musical, or other artistic composition: not observing the normal conventions of style or form; (of a translation) conveying only the…

= classical, adj. 7.

Conforming to the principles of an academy of arts, esp. painting, often too rigidly; conventional, esp. in an excessively formal way.

= academic, adj. 4. Now rare.

Pure in artistic or literary style; without meretricious ornament; chastened, subdued.

Of literary or artistic style: diffuse, insipid, lifeless.

Designating a book, film, or other creative work resembling or likened to an epic poem; dealing with heroic exploits and adventures, esp. in a…

Of literary or artistic work: Lacking finish, or maturity of treatment; rough, unpolished.

Of a work of art, a design, a literary composition, etc.: producing a striking or pleasing impression.

Inventive, imaginative; of, relating to, displaying, using, or involving imagination or original ideas as well as routine skill or intellect, esp…

spec. Of literature, art, music, etc.: devoid of inspiration or feeling; cold, mechanical.

Of art, architecture, etc.: characterized by or given to mannerism; artificial, affected, or over-elaborate in style.

= manneristic, adj.

Mannered, characterized by mannerisms of behaviour, style, etc.; spec. characterized by Mannerism in art, architecture, etc.

Art and Literary Criticism. Expressing, bringing into prominence, or deriving its materials mainly from, the individuality of the artist or author.

Not artistical; = inartistic, adj.

Designating music, dance, film, etc., which rejects representation of or reference to external reality, esp. in dispensing with narrative…

Not artistic; not in accordance with the principles of art.

Of the visual arts, music, etc.: concerned with depicting or representing a story or other literary work; that refers or relates to a text; that…

Belonging to or characteristic of a particular historical period; deliberately old-fashioned or archaic in style, subject matter, etc.

Evoking or designed to evoke an atmosphere (sense 4).

Perpetually relevant, valuable, appealing, etc.; not dated; classic, timeless.

Having or provided with atmosphere (sense 4).

= non-naturalist, adj. 3.

Of a literary, artistic, or other creative work: catering to or concerned with the creator's own tastes or preoccupations, without regard to…

Not observing conventions of style or form; improvisational, unrestrained. Cf. freestyle, adj. 2.

Essentially weak, vulnerable, or sentimental in nature. Usually somewhat depreciative.

Of a literary, musical, or artistic work or performance: = free, adj. 10b.

Often with capital initial. Osbert Lancaster's mock or depreciative name for: a style or supposed ‘school’ of architecture regarded as imitative or…

Said of other schools of literature and art characterized by decadence; spec. = aesthetic, adj. 3.

Designating or relating to art, music, etc., in which humanity or human concerns are regarded as peripheral or absent; abstract, impersonal…

Esp. of art, objects, design, and entertainment: having popular appeal but considered to be vulgar, of low quality, or lacking artistic merit, esp…

Of a work of art: self-consciously or meretriciously simple and artless.

Of style: unadorned, bare, simple.