wooden
gb/wˈʊdən/ us/wˈʊdən/
A1
English
~ 2500
fából készült, merev
A1
1
Usage pattern:
a wooden [object]
The cabin had a large wooden deck overlooking the lake.
A házikónak nagy, tóra néző faterasza volt.
She stirred the soup with a wooden spoon.
Fakanállal keverte a levest.
A wooden fence surrounded the garden.
The museum displayed a wooden sculpture from the 18th century.
Learner examples
I have a wooden chair.
Van egy fából készült székem.
This is a wooden table.
Ez egy fából készült asztal.
The toy is wooden.
He made a wooden box.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'wooden' with 'wood', using 'a wood chair' instead of 'a wooden chair'.
Meaning
Made from wood
Collocations
wooden chair
|wooden table
|wooden spoon
|wooden fence
|wooden door
Synonyms
timber (Refers to wood prepared for building; not always interchangeable with 'wooden' when describing objects.)
Antonyms
metal (Describes something made of metal, which contrasts with being made of wood.)
Themes
materials
|construction
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Made from wood.
Consisting of or constructed from wood as the main material.
B1
2
merev
B1
Usage pattern:
a wooden [performance/smile/expression]
His acting was criticized for being wooden and emotionless.
A színészi játékát azért bírálták, mert merev és érzelemmentes volt.
She gave a wooden smile before leaving the room.
Merev mosolyt erőltetett az arcára, mielőtt kiment a szobából.
The speech sounded wooden and rehearsed.
Learner examples
The actor was wooden in the play.
A színész játéka merev volt a darabban.
He gave a wooden smile.
Merev mosolyt erőltetett az arcára.
Her voice was wooden.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with something literally made of wood, misunderstanding figurative use.
Meaning
Stiff or unnatural in behavior
Collocations
wooden performance
|wooden smile
|wooden expression
Synonyms
stilted (Implies overly formal or unnatural speech or movement.)
Antonyms
natural (Describes behavior that is relaxed and lifelike, opposite to stiff or awkward.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not natural or relaxed in the way someone moves or speaks.
Lacking ease, flexibility, or natural expression in movement, speech, or manner.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wooden
IPA
GB/wˈʊdən/
US/wˈʊdən/
Syllables & stress
wooden (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (wooden)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: wooden
Word family
Expressions
wooden face
1/wˈʊdən fˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
Expressionless face
A face that shows no feelings or emotions.
Examples
- She listened with a wooden face, giving nothing away.
- His wooden face made it hard to know what he was thinking.
wooden spoon
1/wˈʊdən spˈun/
idiom
Award for last place
An informal award given to the person or team that finishes last in a competition.
Examples
- Our team got the wooden spoon after losing every match.
- He joked about winning the wooden spoon in the quiz.
wooden spoon
2/wˈʊdən spˈun/
idiom
Imaginary prize for last place
A joking name for the "prize" that goes to the person or team who finishes last in a competition.
Examples
- After losing every game, they finished the season with the wooden spoon.
- Nobody wants to end up with the wooden spoon in this tournament.
- The team avoided the wooden spoon by winning their final match.