stilted

[stil-tid]

adjective

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

   Synonyms: constrained, stuffy, mannered, wooden

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

stilted

/ ˈstɪltɪd /

adjective

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

2. not flowing continuously or naturally

   stilted conversation

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

Other Word Forms

• unstilted adjective
• stiltedness noun
• stiltedly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of stilted¹

First recorded in 1610–20; stilt + -ed ³

Example Sentences

Too stilted in phrasing to our modern poll-tested ears, it was nevertheless, as she said in the video of her retirement announcement, “prophetic.”

Read more on Salon

He heads for his dressing room, where his parents are waiting for him, and then there’s a stilted and awkward scene with his father.

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For a generation slandered as sexless and terminally stilted, Sombr has done a hard trick — imbued indie rock with a generationally fresh, fully-articulated sense of young male desire and ran it up the pop charts.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She wisely knows that her relationship to her mother’s legacy and memory is too stilted, and thus, she begins by sitting her siblings down to have candid talks with those who knew Mansfield better.

Read more on Salon

But just down the 5 Freeway in Anaheim, the home of Disney, the hottest ticket in baseball this weekend belongs to a stilted pitcher, juggling infielders and a yellow-suited, top hat-wearing carnival barker.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• formal 
• labored 
• overblown 
• pompous 
• sonorous