stilted

[stil-tid] / ˈstɪl tɪd /

ADJECTIVE

artificial, pretentious

Synonyms

STRONGEST

formal labored overblown pompous sonorous

WEAK

affected angular aureate bombastic constrained decorous egotistic euphuistic flowery forced genteel grandiloquent high-flown high-sounding inflated magniloquent mincing pedantic prim rhetorical stiff unnatural wooden

Antonyms

STRONGEST

relaxed

WEAK

genuine honest true

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Never-campers might opt for Sediba Sa Rona, which opens the same month with stilted suites overlooking the Khwai River.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025

Discussion of the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics was mostly delivered with stilted hamminess from both, with Martin occasionally shoehorning in jokes that Meier did not pick up on.

From Slate • Sep. 22, 2025

She wisely knows that her relationship to her mother’s legacy and memory is too stilted, and thus, she begins by sitting her siblings down to have candid talks with those who knew Mansfield better.

From Salon • Jun. 27, 2025

This campaign season, PAP ministers better known for stilted pre-written speeches have also been filming skits with social media influencers and sitting down for long conversations on podcasts.

From BBC • May 1, 2025

Something about their movements, choppy and stilted, made me feel awkward.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Vocabulary lists containing stilted

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