stilted

adjective

stilt·​ed ˈstil-təd How to pronounce stilted (audio)
1
2
: having the curve beginning at some distance above the impost
a stilted arch
stiltedly adverb
stiltedness noun

Examples of stilted in a Sentence

the conversation was somewhat stilted as we didn't seem to share any interests a stilted letter of apology that was written and accepted with equal measures of insincerity
Recent Examples on the Web At their best, the translations are a bit stilted, and the captions pop up just late enough to make following along tricky. Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 4 July 2024 In the roughly 40-minute film, a stilted police officer named Daniel (Jesse Plemons) is thrilled when his missing wife, Liz (Stone), returns after a research expedition gone haywire. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 29 June 2024 The family drama seems more stilted than the giant spider story, which also tracks. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024 The stilted dynamic is nothing new; what feels unprecedented is the beat that Tom takes before answering Dickie’s invitation to go to San Remo for the weekend. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stilted 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stilted.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of stilted was in 1820

Dictionary Entries Near stilted

Cite this Entry

“Stilted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stilted. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

stilted

adjective
stilt·​ed ˈstil-təd How to pronounce stilted (audio)
: not easy and natural
stilted speech

More from Merriam-Webster on stilted

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