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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

MitStanfordHarvardAustralian Nationa UniversityNanyangOxford

stuffy

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

"stuffy" is an acceptable word in written English.
It can be used to describe a person, a room, or an atmosphere that is uncomfortable because of a lack of fresh air or circulation. For example, "The stuffy office was so hot, nobody wanted to stay very long."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A precociously gifted student, Schiele soon attracted the attention of Gustav Klimt, the pre-eminent artist of the Secession movement – an artistic revolution that covered many art forms, all driven by the basic aim of rejecting Beaux-Arts classicism and stuffy Salon mediocrity.

Normally, this is a homely part of town, culturally and racially mixed with a lively, sometimes rascally street life – a world away from the stuffy 7th arrondissement.

A gracefully mounted but safe-playing account of Dylan Thomas's 1950 tour of American academia, it nurtures personable performances from Celyn Jones (as Dylan) and Elijah Wood (as his stuffy Ivy League minder) without accumulating much friction between them.

Inside the stuffy assembly rooms or outside among fluttering flags and cutouts of José Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy, presidents of the European commission and council respectively, they quiz ministers, simulate climate catastrophe and learn international sign language.

News & Media

The Guardian

Burnham's life change is signalled by body building in his garage, blaring Pink Floyd from his flash new convertible, smoking grass outside a stuffy works party and a lusty pursuit of his daughter's cheerleader classmate (Mena Suvari).

The two Pussy Riot members can expect to be allocated the top of the two or three-tier bunks, where it can be stuffy and uncomfortable in the crowded dormitories.

News & Media

The Guardian

His schtick – skewed angles, endless close-ups, off-centre framing – has already tripped into the realm of self-parody, but here it helps to offset what could have otherwise become a stuffy Sunday-evening television film.

Later, America's first Nobel laureate, Sinclair Lewis, said that Dreiser's powerful first novel "came to housebound and airless America like a great free Western wind, and to our stuffy domesticity gave us the first fresh air since Mark Twain and Whitman".

Fortune's most frequent screen persona was as a shambolic, dense and stuffy bureaucrat – such as his Tory MP George Parr – baffled and outraged by the world, but the character concealed Fortune's sharp satiric intelligence as a writer and performer.

News & Media

The Guardian

The Economist commented at the time: "This is a radical report aimed at a stuffy, conservative organisation which has fallen badly behind the times.

It was like sliding out of a stuffy room (she always noticed smells, whether of animal hide, lice, peas, unwashedness) to thrust her nose into cool fresh air, or running out into the bush of her Rhodesian childhood, with its miles of tawny grass shining in the sun.

News & Media

The Economist
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ the term figuratively to criticize institutions, people, or traditions that are overly formal, conservative, or resistant to change.

Common error

Avoid using "stuffy" in scientific or highly technical reports about air quality; instead, use more precise terms like "poorly ventilated" or "low oxygen levels" to maintain a professional tone.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

100%

Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The word "stuffy" serves as a multifaceted adjective. According to Ludwig AI, it is primarily used to qualify nouns relating to physical spaces (rooms, courtrooms, halls) or abstract social constructs (traditions, bureaucracies, cultures). It functions both as a literal descriptor of air quality and a figurative critique of personality.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

General Reference

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Academic Research

2%

Legal Documents

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "stuffy" is an essential adjective in the English language that masterfully bridges the gap between physical sensation and social commentary. Whether you are describing a room that lacks circulation or an institution that refuses to evolve, the word carries a weight of stagnation. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency in quality journalism, where it is often used as a foil to concepts like "innovation" or "fresh air". When using it, remember that while it is perfectly acceptable in written English, it carries a negative connotation of being dull or restrictive. For professional medical or architectural writing, consider more technical synonyms like "congested" or "poorly ventilated".

FAQs

How do I use "stuffy" in a sentence?

You can use "stuffy" to describe a room, as in "The classroom felt very stuffy with the windows closed", or a person, as in "He is a stuffy old professor who hates modern technology".

What is a more formal word for "stuffy"?

Depending on your meaning, you can use "unventilated" for rooms or "pompous" or "conventional" for people.

Does "stuffy" always mean a lack of air?

No, it is frequently used to describe a "blocked nose" during a cold, or to characterize something as boring and old-fashioned.

What is the difference between "stuffy" and "stifling"?

While both describe a lack of air, "stifling" is usually more extreme and often implies a sense of being smothered by heat or rules.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: