stuffy
gb/stˈʌfi/ us/stˈʌfi/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
not enough fresh air
A room that is stuffy does not have enough fresh air.
Usage pattern:
[place/room] is stuffy
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse stuffy (no fresh air) with sticky (humid) or messy (untidy).
Synonyms
airless (More direct and literal; emphasizes lack of air.)
|
close (Common in British English for air that feels warm and lacking freshness.)
|
poorly ventilated (More formal and technical-sounding.)
Antonyms
well-ventilated (Has plenty of fresh air moving through.)
|
airy (Feels open and fresh with lots of air.)
Collocations
stuffy room
|stuffy office
|stuffy classroom
|stuffy apartment
|stuffy air
|stuffy atmosphere
|get stuffy
|feel stuffy
|a bit stuffy
|stuffy in here
Themes
daily_life
|weather
|home
|health
Examples
- It gets stuffy in this meeting room after an hour.
- Open a window—it's really stuffy in here.
- The basement felt dark and stuffy.
Learner examples
- This room is stuffy.
- Let’s open the window because it’s stuffy.
adjective
B1
state
2
having a blocked nose
If you are stuffy, your nose is blocked and you cannot breathe easily through it.
Usage pattern:
feel stuffy; have a stuffy nose
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse stuffy (blocked) with runny (liquid coming out).
Synonyms
congested (More medical/clinical; often used in health contexts.)
|
blocked up (More informal and conversational.)
Antonyms
clear (Nose is not blocked and breathing is easy.)
Collocations
stuffy nose
|feel stuffy
|a little stuffy
|still stuffy
|wake up stuffy
|get stuffy
|stuffy from allergies
|stuffy with a cold
|sound stuffy
|less stuffy
Themes
health
|daily_life
Examples
- My nose is really stuffy today, so I’m going to stay home.
- She sounded stuffy on the phone because she has a cold.
- I always get stuffy when the pollen count is high.
Learner examples
- I have a stuffy nose.
- I feel stuffy because I have a cold.
adjective
informal
B2
property
3
too formal and old-fashioned
A stuffy person or event is too formal and not relaxed.
Usage pattern:
a stuffy [person/place/event]; [someone] is stuffy
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse stuffy for 'strict' or 'angry'; stuffy mainly suggests overly formal or old-fashioned.
Synonyms
uptight (More about being tense or easily offended.)
|
prim (Emphasizes overly proper behavior.)
|
old-fashioned (Focuses on being behind the times, not necessarily unfriendly.)
Antonyms
relaxed (Comfortable and informal.)
|
easygoing (Friendly and not strict about rules.)
|
casual (Not formal in style or behavior.)
Collocations
stuffy attitude
|stuffy people
|stuffy party
|stuffy rules
|stuffy tradition
|stuffy formality
|stuffy and conservative
|a bit stuffy
|seem stuffy
|come across as stuffy
Themes
people
|society
|work
|emotions
Examples
- The dinner felt a bit stuffy, so we left early.
- He can be stuffy about etiquette and dress codes.
- They wanted the ceremony to be warm and personal, not stuffy.
Learner examples
- The meeting was too stuffy.
- He is stuffy and very formal.
Grammar
Dictionary form
stuffy
IPA
GB/stˈʌfi/
US/stˈʌfi/
Syllables & stress
stuffy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (stuffy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: stuffy
- Comparative: stuffier
- Superlative: stuffiest
Expressions
stuffy shirt
1/stˈʌfi ʃˈɚt/
fixed phrase
informal
overly formal person
A stuffy shirt is a person who is too formal and not relaxed.
Examples
- Don’t invite Mark—he’s a stuffy shirt and he’ll complain about everything.
- She expected the manager to be a stuffy shirt, but he was actually very friendly.
- The new professor isn’t a stuffy shirt; he jokes with the class.