adjective
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of, relating to, or containing starch
starchy foods
-
extremely formal, stiff, or conventional
a starchy manner
-
stiffened with starch
Other Word Forms
- starchily adverb
- starchiness noun
Etymology
Origin of starchy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Because they are dense and starchy, eating large amounts can slow the rate at which the stomach empties, a condition known as gastroparesis, or in rare situations, cause a complete blockage.
From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026
Andrew says the "worst offenders" include cereal, scrambled eggs, or starchy food with protein-heavy residues.
From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026
Mr. Dowling is a discerning and sympathetic, if occasionally starchy, guide through Shepard’s oeuvre.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025
Sondergard demonstrated a sense of grandeur, sometimes shattering, other times starchy.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2025
She loomed into the room in a starchy nightdress, and her sparse hair was tied up in rags.
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
