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

Examples of stuffy in a Sentence

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

One key to that, Gaultier said, is density of people without letting the space feel too stuffy. —Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 10 Dec. 2024

Bingo! Alivia's tantrum hack—to keep things lighthearted—is a simple one, but a great reminder that not everything has to be so stuffy. —Tanay Howard, Parents, 8 Oct. 2024

Or maybe a stuffy, lackluster atmosphere puts a damper on the entire getaway. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2024

Frame has disproved the notion that jeans are stuffy and uncomfortable for commuting with this black Jetset Crop Mini Boot pair. —Amanda Randone, refinery29.com, 13 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stuffy

adjective

ˈstəf-ē 

stuffier; stuffiest

1

: sullen sense 1, ill-humored

2

a

: lacking fresh air

a stuffy room

b

: stuffed or choked up

had a stuffy feeling in my head

3

: lacking in pep or interest : dull, stodgy

4

: self-righteous

stuffily

ˈstəf-ə-lē 

adverb

stuffiness

ˈstəf-ē-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

stuffy

adjective

ˈstəf-ē 

stuffier; stuffiest

: affected with congestion

a stuffy nose

stuffiness

ˈstəf-ē-nəs 

noun