1
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
the conversation was somewhat stilted as we didn't seem to share any interests
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
a stilted letter of apology that was written and accepted with equal measures of insincerity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stilted
But just down the 5 Freeway in Anaheim, the home of Disney, the hottest ticket in baseball this weekend belongs to a stilted pitcher, juggling infielders and a yellow-suited, top hat-wearing carnival barker.
—
Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
The awkward commercial has recently begun to recirculate around the internet, resulting in pairs of TikTokers recreating the visual in endearing clips gently poking at the stilted chemistry of the original.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 29 May 2025
Why do American actors sound so stilted when playing characters from the 19th century when British actors sound so natural?
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
Nabulsi’s inter-generational drama is carefully composed, though the movie’s other subplots (concerning its handful of American and British characters) tend to be more stilted.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stilted
Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
The awkward commercial has recently begun to recirculate around the internet, resulting in pairs of TikTokers recreating the visual in endearing clips gently poking at the stilted chemistry of the original.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 29 May 2025
Why do American actors sound so stilted when playing characters from the 19th century when British actors sound so natural?
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
Nabulsi’s inter-generational drama is carefully composed, though the movie’s other subplots (concerning its handful of American and British characters) tend to be more stilted.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stilted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stilted
Adjective
-
But beneath the glittering headlines lies the uncomfortable truth: the advertised jackpot is not the real prize, the odds are stacked against players, and the system relies heavily on the very people most vulnerable to financial strain.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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An uncomfortable Lydia attempted to change the subject, but her dad kept going.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Yet these benefits will primarily help those that already have access to a bank—and not the more than one billion that still lack access to formal financial systems.—
Sopnendu Mohanty,
Fortune,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Kobe never laid out the Mamba Mentality as a formal, step-by-step framework.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But, sadly, this can be hard to repair once too far gone; naming the dynamic out loud can be daunting and awkward.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
India wants all three guests to remain seated, however awkward the conversation may be.—
Spriha Srivastava,
CNBC,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Both Trejo and Crowley rode in the 2025 Centennial Tucson Rodeo, a nice mirroring of the agency’s own 100-year history.—
Suzanne Wright,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The in-between woman has a nice corporate job in a nice corporate office.—
Weike Wang,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This is a huge bonus for a clumsy gal like myself, who often trips over air.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The scale of the problem became terrifyingly clear during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Japanese government struggled to respond to a nationwide crisis with clumsy digital tools.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The cost of parties, marketing, shipping, insurance, and the decorous administration of nearly five hundred sales a year only ever drifts one way.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
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Their decorous representations of the war and republic are reassuring, especially to modern eyes, in their romanticized heroism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike taking space to cool down, which is a much healthier strategy, the silent treatment is used specifically to make the other partner feel uneasy.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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The pair form an uneasy and sometimes humorous alliance while uncovering a drug ring revolving around a dangerous alien narcotic.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At some schools, the general manager is a ceremonious one, given to a program’s famous alumnus who can help gin up interest and money.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
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The name change is merely ceremonious to recognize the grand opening of the town's new Dunkin' location, officials said.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stilted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stilted. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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