Stepford

/ ˈstɛpˌfəd /

adjective

1. blandly conformist and submissive

   a Stepford employee

noun

1. Stepford wife
   a married woman who submits to her husband's will and is preoccupied by domestic concerns and her own personal appearance

Word History and Origins

Origin of Stepford¹

C20: from The Stepford Wives (1972), a book by US writer Ira Levin which depicted a neighbourhood in which men turn their wives into placid and obedient robots

Example Sentences

The publisher bills “One of Our Kind” as “‘Get Out’ meets ‘The Stepford Wives,’” which is a provocative combination that’s sure to spark book club conversations for years to come.

From Seattle Times

There are a few other reads I’ve cracked into that I’m excited to share my thoughts on soon, including the already released “A Better World” from the author of “Good Neighbors,” Sarah Langan — think “Midsommar” meets “The Stepford Wives” — and Sara Koffi’s “While We Were Burning,” which has been described as “Parasite” meets “Such a Fun Age.”

From Seattle Times

I felt like there were a lot of classic genre echoes in “A Better World” — Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” Ira Levin’s “The Stepford Wives” and “Rosemary’s Baby,” even Aldous Huxley’s “1984.”

From Los Angeles Times

The GOP's official response came in an eerie Stepford Wife-style speech from Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, who was clearly out of her depth.

From Salon

Its staff will forgo scrubs for bespoke costumes resembling clerics or Stepford wives.

From New York Times