stodgy

[ stoj-ee ]

adjective

stodgier, stodgiest.

1. heavy, dull, or uninteresting; tediously commonplace; boring:

   a stodgy Victorian novel.

   Synonyms: prosaic, stuffy, tiresome

   Antonyms: exciting, lively

2. of a thick, semisolid consistency; heavy, as food.
3. stocky; thick-set.
4. old-fashioned; unduly formal and traditional:

   a stodgy old gentleman.

5. dull; graceless; inelegant:

   a stodgy business suit.

stodgy

/ ˈstɒdʒɪ /

adjective

1. (of food) heavy or uninteresting
2. excessively formal and conventional

Derived Forms

• ˈstodginess, noun
• ˈstodgily, adverb

Other Word Forms

• stodgi·ly adverb
• stodgi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stodgy¹

First recorded in 1815–25; stodge + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of stodgy¹

C19: from stodge

Example Sentences

Once again Pakistan's fragile and stodgy top order failed to muster the runs which would prove a real challenge to their Indian counterparts.

From BBC

They had become stodgy and error-prone until the wee man did his thing and electrified Murrayfield.

From BBC

Not across the board, of course — the presenters’ scripts were still stodgy, but when aren’t they?

From Salon

Emma-Jean's prediction: Something is telling me this is not going to be a good watch, it could be quite stodgy.

From BBC

The hosts struggled with their line and length, failing to take advantage of a pitch that offered more pace and bounce than the stodgy surface in East London.

From BBC

Related Words

• boring
• monotonous
• pedantic
• plodding
• ponderous
• staid
• tedious