stuffy
adjective
ˈstə-fē 
stuffier; stuffiest
1
: ill-natured, ill-humored
2
: lacking in vitality or interest : stodgy, dull
3
a
: oppressive to the breathing : close
a stuffy room
b
: stuffed up
a stuffy nose
4
a
: narrowly inflexible in standards of conduct : self-righteous
b
: stiffly conventional : priggish
stuffy formalities
stuffily
ˈstə-fə-lē
adverb stuffiness
ˈstə-fē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- breathless
- close
- stifling
- suffocating
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
It's very stuffy in here. She had a stuffy nose. I had a stuffy feeling in my head. the stuffiest members of that exclusive club
Recent Examples on the Web There are few things more uncomfortable than living in a home that's stuffy, hot, and lacking airflow. 
Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Aug. 2022 The magazine’s declared charge was to bring ungainly life and youthful indiscretion to a culture bounded by cloying upstart institutions (McSweeney’s) and stuffy, older ones (James Wood writing at The New Republic). Phillip Maciak, The New Republic, 27 June 2022 With temperatures spiking in the south of France, the festival felt like purgatory this year, as most U.S. attendees complained that the Palais was too stuffy and hot during the big premieres. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 30 May 2022 The interviews are conversational, less stuffy and jammed with information as many podcasts tend to be. The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Apr. 2022 No longer a component of stuffy and corporate office dress codes, the best blazers are some of the strongest styling essentials. Madeline Fass, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2022 That tightrope is a difficult one to walk: Complex dishes can make a place feel stuffy, but a great baked good—complicated or not—elicits a unique kind of delight. Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appétit, 17 May 2022 In a sea of parties that can feel stuffy, Farfetch’s soiree did not. Rachel Besser, Vogue, 12 May 2022 These, along with his own tortured backstory, prove far more titillating to local audiences than the stuffy Noh shows, and fans quickly assemble, screaming like groupies at a BTS concert. Peter Debruge, Variety, 12 Aug. 2022 See More
Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Aug. 2022 The magazine’s declared charge was to bring ungainly life and youthful indiscretion to a culture bounded by cloying upstart institutions (McSweeney’s) and stuffy, older ones (James Wood writing at The New Republic). Phillip Maciak, The New Republic, 27 June 2022 With temperatures spiking in the south of France, the festival felt like purgatory this year, as most U.S. attendees complained that the Palais was too stuffy and hot during the big premieres. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 30 May 2022 The interviews are conversational, less stuffy and jammed with information as many podcasts tend to be. The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Apr. 2022 No longer a component of stuffy and corporate office dress codes, the best blazers are some of the strongest styling essentials. Madeline Fass, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2022 That tightrope is a difficult one to walk: Complex dishes can make a place feel stuffy, but a great baked good—complicated or not—elicits a unique kind of delight. Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appétit, 17 May 2022 In a sea of parties that can feel stuffy, Farfetch’s soiree did not. Rachel Besser, Vogue, 12 May 2022 These, along with his own tortured backstory, prove far more titillating to local audiences than the stuffy Noh shows, and fans quickly assemble, screaming like groupies at a BTS concert. Peter Debruge, Variety, 12 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
stuffy
adjective
ˈstə-fē
stuffier; stuffiest
1
: needing fresh air
a stuffy room
2
: stuffed or blocked up
a stuffy nose
3
: very formal and self-important He's a stuffy old teacher.
Medical Definition
stuffy
adjective
ˈstəf-ē
stuffier; stuffiest
: affected with congestion
a stuffy nose
stuffy
adjective
1
as in stifling
lacking fresh air the house was very stuffy after being closed up for a month Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stifling
- suffocating
- close
- airless
- breathless
- oppressive
- thick
- unventilated
- heavy
- fuggy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- breezy
- airy
- unstuffy
- refreshing
- sweet
- 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
- dull
- stupid
- slow
- weary
- wearying
- stodgy
- heavy
- dry
- annoying
- irritating
- drab
- stale
- uninteresting
- monotonous
- dreary
- tiresome
- humdrum
- tedious
- tame
- pedestrian
- leaden
- colorless
- ponderous
- wearisome
- arid
- drudging
- numbing
- monochromatic
- sterile
- jejune
- exhausting
- jading
- ho-hum
- blah
- pallid
- flat
- mind-numbing
- unimaginative
- soggy
- prosy
- spiritless
- prosaic
- unexciting
- gray
- barren
- pedantic
- uninspiring
- irksome
- dullish
- bothersome
- blank
- aseptic
- unrewarding
- earthbound
- draining
- uneventful
- unsensational
- ordinary
- enervating
- undramatic
- unspectacular
- wearing
- inanimate
- cumbersome
- grey
- fatiguing
- debilitating
- common
- vapid
- pokey
- poky
- dispiriting
- discouraging
- commonplace
- plodding
- suspenseless
- palling
- tepid
- demoralizing
- pleasureless
- lumbering
- unexceptional
- unnewsworthy
- disheartening
- enfeebling
- unsurprising
- longsome
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- interesting
- involving
- engaging
- intriguing
- wonderful
- surprising
- engrossing
- exciting
- riveting
- absorbing
- entertaining
- spectacular
- charming
- sensational
- stimulating
- gripping
- marvellous
- wondrous
- amazing
- amusing
- exhilarating
- awesome
- fabulous
- thrilling
- marvelous
- inspiring
- rousing
- attractive
- astonishing
- energizing
- electrifying
- breathtaking
- moving
- alluring
- invigorating
- astounding
- stirring
- enlivening
- enchanting
- animating
- fascinating
- diverting
- poignant
- enthralling
- entrancing
- beguiling
- galvanizing
- touching
- attracting
- bewitching
- rip-roaring
- provocative
- hair-raising
- suspenseful
- spellbinding
- eye-opening
- captivating
- tantalizing
- 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
- grouchy
- grumpy
- peevish
- crabby
- waspish
- snappish
- petulant
- irascible
- testy
- snarky
- cranky
- raspy
- choleric
- pettish
- snippy
- ratty
- cross
- sensitive
- prickly
- passionate
- disagreeable
- cantankerous
- curmudgeonly
- perverse
- short
- ornery
- out of humor
- short-tempered
- bilious
- snappy
- out of sorts
- contentious
- querulous
- quick-tempered
- dyspeptic
- combative
- snippety
- surly
- snarly
- argumentative
- fretful
- tetchy
- pugnacious
- bellicose
- fractious
- belligerent
- sullen
- quarrelsome
- ill-humored
- sulky
- huffy
- truculent
- off-colored
- pouty
- disputatious
- ill-tempered
- off-color
- scrappy
- cross-grained
- touchy
- ill-natured
- bearish
- thin-skinned
- hot-blooded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- friendly
- affable
- genial
- agreeable
- cordial
- amiable
- sociable
- gregarious
- sweet
- companionable
- outgoing
- extroverted
- extraverted
- relaxed
- easygoing
- carefree
- stoic
- good-natured
- patient
- tolerant
- stoical
- good-tempered
- well-disposed
- uncomplaining
- obliging
- understanding
- forbearing
- happy-go-lucky
- long-suffering
- knock about
- knock around
- knock back
- knock cold
- knock dead
- knock down
- knock for a loop
- knock for six
- knock heads
- knock in
- knock it out of the park
- knock off
- knock off (his stride
- knock off her pedestal
- knock off her) stride
- knock off his pedestal
- knock on
- knock on doors
- knock on the door of
- knock on the head
- knock on wood
- knock one's socks off
- knock oneself out
- knock over
- knock poker