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Synonym Chooser

How is the word stolid distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of stolid are apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, and stoic. While all these words mean "unresponsive to something that might normally excite interest or emotion," stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity.

stolid workers wedded to routine

In what contexts can apathetic take the place of stolid?

The synonyms apathetic and stolid are sometimes interchangeable, but apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness.

charitable appeals met an apathetic response

When would impassive be a good substitute for stolid?

While in some cases nearly identical to stolid, impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression.

met the news with an impassive look

When could phlegmatic be used to replace stolid?

While the synonyms phlegmatic and stolid are close in meaning, phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse.

a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears

Where would stoic be a reasonable alternative to stolid?

The meanings of stoic and stolid largely overlap; however, stoic implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often as a matter of principle or self-discipline.

was resolutely stoic even in adversity

Examples 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 stolid In truth, not even the most stolid skeptic maintains that Trump is a perfectly normal politician, and not even the most histrionic #Resistance foot soldier believes that Trump is literally Orange Hitler. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024 Buck is more reassuringly stolid than live-wire Bucky, but both are models of courage. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024 Aidan, a character designed to contrast Chris Noth’s withholding Mr. Big and originally scheduled for just three episodes, was also, like much classic American furniture, stolid and unyielding. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 20 June 2023 The entrance to the management building, a stolid modernist structure, was dominated by bronze letters reading cccp. Elettra Pauletto, Harper's Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for stolid 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stolid
Adjective
  • The accessory is wonderful unadorned and thus serves as a blank canvas that showcases color wonderfully on the nappa calfskin body.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Folded within the books were sheets of blank paper on which the astrologer drew checkerboard-like structures as the men watched.
    Kanak Kapur, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Oscar, older and more outwardly stoic, has no guarantees.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Arthur and my mum share mystery novels and classical music and the kind of endless, expressive conversation that confused and exhausted my quiet, stoic, old-school European dad.
    Carolyn Figel, Hazlitt, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Farewell to the impassive, agile grapplers, and to the whiplash pleasure of a badminton rally.
    Maya Singer, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Taveras places his left hand near his heart, but remains impassive.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Subjects were shown pictures of two expressionless male faces over and over.
    Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2012
  • Bale ran to the corner of the pitch, and, having been an expressionless bystander for much of the evening, shouted in ecstasy.
    Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2022
Adjective
  • Häagen-Dazs More News: Cowboys' Jerry Jones Set to Bring Back Mike McCarthy as Head Coach Häagen-Dazs, the premium ice cream brand with the pseudo-European name, has joined the Super Bowl ad club for the first time ever and dropped an enigmatic teaser featuring...a Chevy.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Echevarría also had turns as the enigmatic British agent Raoul, who doubles as the manager of a Havana cigar factory, in the James Bond film Die Another Day (2002), and as Mexican president Antonio López de Santa Anna in John Lee Hancock’s The Alamo (2004).
    Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But those looking to move into a vacant apartment because of the fires are likely to face significantly higher rents.
    Chris Isidore, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
  • According to Greenhouse, companies sometimes post these vacant positions to create a false sense of growth or to attract talent for future openings that may never materialize.
    Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 14 Jan. 2025

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Thesaurus Entries Near stolid

Cite this Entry

“Stolid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stolid. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on stolid

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