Stepford

British  

/ ˈstɛpˌfəd /

adjective

1. blandly conformist and submissive

   a Stepford employee

---

noun

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

Etymology

Origin of Stepford

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 late 1960s and ‘70s delivered a host of classic horror films, from “Rosemary’s Baby” to “The Exorcist” to “The Stepford Wives” to “Alien.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2025

The film’s trailer shows Kidman living a Stepford Wives-style life in a small town, with a forced smile as she declares “it’s just perfect”.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2025

Think “The Stepford Wives” meets “The Hunger Games” meets “Cabin in the Woods.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 15, 2023

There’s a touch of Stepford to this happy, shiny place, and a dash of comedy in its excesses.

From New York Times • Sep. 21, 2022

“Hey, Zig, could you get me a postponement on the Stepford Wives? There’s this other thing that’s come up.”

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman