stilted

/ˈstɪltɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstɪltɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstil-təd/ (ame, mw)

stilted — adjective

  • stiltedpositive
  • more stiltedcomparative
  • most stiltedsuperlative

1. If a person's behaviour, way of speaking, or writing feels stiff and unnatural b

1.形容詞C1
釋義

If a person's behaviour, way of speaking, or writing feels stiff and unnatural because it is too formal or carefully controlled, it is stilted.

例句

Mei-Lin's speech at the wedding felt stilted because she was reading directly from notes.

stilted + (speech / writing) — describes overly formal delivery

The conversation between the two managers was stilted and full of awkward pauses.

stilted + (conversation / talk) — describes unnatural interaction

同義詞
  • stiff

    More general; can describe physical objects or a person's manner, while stilted is limited to behaviour, speech, or writing.

  • forced

    Emphasises that the person is making an obvious effort to sound a certain way, often resulting in an unnatural impression.

  • unnatural

    Broader in scope; describes anything that does not feel genuine or normal, not just overly formal behaviour.

  • wooden

    More informal; suggests a total lack of emotion or movement, like a puppet.

反義詞
  • natural

    The closest opposite; describes behaviour or speech that flows easily and without effort.

  • relaxed

    Focuses on the absence of tension or formality in manner or conversation.

  • flowing

    Specifically about speech or writing that moves smoothly from one idea to the next.

用法筆記

Typically describes speech, writing, or social behaviour that lacks the relaxed flow of natural communication. Often used when someone is trying too hard to be proper or has memorised a script rather than speaking spontaneously.

常見錯誤

❌The chair was stilted and hard to sit on.
✅The chair had stilted legs.
💡'stilted' does not describe a physical object's comfort; use 'stiff' or 'hard' instead.