wooden

American  

[wood-n] / ˈwʊd n /

adjective

1. consisting or made of wood.

   a wooden ship.

2. stiff, ungainly, or awkward.

   a wooden gait.

3. without spirit, animation, or awareness.

   Synonyms:

   impassive, lifeless, vacant, expressionless

4. dull or stupid.

5. indicating the fifth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary.

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wooden British  

/ ˈwʊdən /

adjective

1. made from or consisting of wood

2. awkward or clumsy

3. bereft of spirit or animation

   a wooden expression

4. obstinately unyielding

   a wooden attitude

5. mentally slow or dull

6. not highly resonant

   a wooden thud

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verb

1. slang (tr) to fell or kill (a person or animal)

Other Word Forms

• woodenly
  adverb
• woodenness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of wooden

First recorded in 1530–40; wood ¹ + -en ²

Example Sentences

Images of the weapons found in the house were shown to the court, including an air rifle, which was stored in a wooden box and included a self-contained gas cartridge.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

On the main level, there is the gorgeous primary suite, which comes complete with a wooden ceiling and enough space for a king-sized bed.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

A few weeks later, a wispy tendril starts out, climbing up the wooden support.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

They live inside wooden structures, quietly feeding and expanding their colonies where homeowners may not notice them until damage is already underway.

From Science Daily • May 9, 2026

The waning sun cut across the room from the window, throwing a buttery light on the paneling and the wooden filing cabinets.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu