wooden

American  

[wood-n] / ˈwʊd n /

adjective

1. consisting or made of wood; 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

• woodenly adverb
• woodenness noun

Etymology

Origin of wooden

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

Example Sentences

Beside him, a wooden stake marked the corner of a mining claim.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Instead, visitors pass through double wooden gates into the courtyard, then through glass pocket doors into the great room and kitchen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

In his direct addresses to the jury, he used a set of wooden baby blocks, stacks of paper, even a hammer and a crate of eggs.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

To recreate the animal, researchers constructed the torso using polystyrene foam and a wooden frame, then added cotton, bubble paper, and fabric to mimic soft tissues.

From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2026

When he arrived in the windowed room at the back of the Shipwreck, C.C. had already set up the big wooden table with many items.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el