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

Derived Forms

• woodenly
  adverb
• woodenness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of wooden

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

Example Sentences

Ono’s very first “Wish Tree” — a baby grapefruit tree planted in a wooden box — was shown in 1996 at Santa Monica’s Shoshana Wayne Gallery in Bergamot Station.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

The lounging rooms blend into the chef’s kitchen, which boasts with an oversized marble-topped island and minimalistic wooden cabinetry.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Using a wooden spoon, stir the lentils often to avoid burning them.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

A wooden replica of the Santa Maria was docked on the Scioto River near City Hall for decades.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The chairs were surprisingly comfortable, a far cry from the hard wooden ones back at the Academy.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin