stilted

[ stil-tid ]

/ ˈstɪl tɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR stilted ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

stiffly dignified or formal, as speech or literary style; pompous.

Architecture. (of an arch) resting on imposts treated in part as downward continuations of the arch.

Nearby words

stillwater, stilly, stilt, stilt bug, stilt root, stilted, stilton, stilwell, stilyaga, stim, stime

Origin of stilted

First recorded in 1610–20; stilt + -ed³

SYNONYMS FOR stilted

1 wooden, mannered, stuffy, constrained.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR stilted ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

un·stilt·ed, adjective

Definition for stilted (2 of 2)

stilt

[ stilt ]

/ stɪlt /

noun

one of two poles, each with a support for the foot at some distance above the bottom end, enabling the wearer to walk with his or her feet above the ground.

one of several posts supporting a structure built above the surface of land or water.

Ceramics. a three-armed support for an object being fired.

any of several white-and-black wading birds, especially Cladorhynchus leucocephalus and Himantopus himantopus, having long, bright pink legs and a long, slender black bill.

British Dialect.

a plow handle.
a crutch.

verb (used with object)

to raise on or as if on stilts.

Origin of stilt

1275–1325; Middle English stilte; cognate with Low German stilte pole, German Stelze

Related forms

stilt·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for stilted

It is glorious in its stilted awkwardness, and should be cherished.
Rosie Returns to 'The View': A Bold, Intelligent, and Sometimes Boring Premiere|Kevin Fallon|September 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Complete with stilted dialogue and cringe-worthy background music, the whole thing would be laughable were it not so terrifying.
Outlandish Work Training Videos: Alabama’s Mass Shooting Film & More|Kevin Fallon|January 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
As a debate, this was a sideshow, 90 minutes of stilted silliness, an intermission interrupting the real deal.
Joe Biden Beat Paul Ryan, But Veep Debate Was a Mediocre Snoozefest|Tunku Varadarajan|October 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The result is nothing extraordinary, but feels awkward and stilted.
TV Preview: Snap Judgments of 2012-13’s New Shows|Jace Lacob, Maria Elena Fernandez|June 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST

But the stilted dialogue and bizarre narrative conceits pale in comparison with some of the sacrilege being committed here.
Wonder Woman: A Sneak Peek at David E. Kelley's Script|Jace Lacob|February 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The tone of the book, which ought to be a simple story, is stilted and rhetorical.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science|Various
She was evidently infected by the stilted manner of her ridiculous lover.
Scaramouche|Rafael Sabatini
The attempt to put her thoughts into words always produced a crude and stilted result which she knew instinctively was not poetry.
The Dorrance Domain|Carolyn Wells
Their style was elegant and academic, retaining a little of the stilted poetic diction of their classical forerunners.
From Chaucer to Tennyson|Henry A. Beers
Clodagh laughed frankly at the stilted compliment, and Asshlin's face brightened perceptibly.
The Gambler|Katherine Cecil Thurston

British Dictionary definitions for stilted (1 of 2)

stilted

/ (ˈstɪltɪd) /

adjective

(of speech, writing, etc) formal, pompous, or bombastic

not flowing continuously or naturallystilted conversation

architect (of an arch) having vertical piers between the impost and the springing

Derived Forms

stiltedly, adverbstiltedness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for stilted (2 of 2)

stilt

/ (stɪlt) /

noun

either of a pair of two long poles with footrests on which a person stands and walks, as used by circus clowns

a long post or column that is used with others to support a building above ground level

any of several shore birds of the genera Himantopus and Cladorhynchus, similar to the avocets but having a straight bill

verb

(tr) to raise or place on or as if on stilts

Word Origin for stilt

C14 (in the sense: crutch, handle of a plough): related to Low German stilte pole, Norwegian stilta

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012