wooden

/ˈwʊdn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈwʊdn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwu̇-dᵊn/ (ame, mw)

wooden — adjective

  • woodenpositive
  • more woodencomparative
  • most woodensuperlative

1. describing an object that has been made or built from wood, the material that co

1.形容詞A1
釋義

describing an object that has been made or built from wood, the material that comes from trees.

例句

Feng put the old wooden chair out for repair after it broke.

attributive use before noun

The house had beautiful wooden floors that shone in the morning light.

collocation: wooden floors

同義詞
  • wood

    Can be used as an attributive noun/adjective in compounds (e.g. 'wood floor'), but cannot be used predicatively (*'this floor is wood' is non-standard; 'this floor is wooden' is correct).

  • timber

    British term for wood prepared for building; describes the material rather than the finished object (e.g. 'a timber frame'). Less common for small objects.

反義詞
  • metal

    The most common contrasting material.

  • plastic

    Modern synthetic material often contrasted with wood.

文法句型

wooden + noun

用法筆記

This sense always describes the material something is made of. The related word 'wood' can also be used as an adjective before nouns (e.g. 'a wood table'), especially in American English, but 'wooden' is more formal and more common in British English.

常見錯誤

❌The table is wood made.
✅The table is made of wood.
💡Chinese learners often translate 木製的 word-for-word as 'wood made' instead of using 'made of wood' or 'wooden'.
❌She bought a wood chair.' (when meaning made of wood)
✅She bought a wooden chair.
💡'Wood' as a material noun sounds less natural in predicative descriptions; 'wooden' is the standard adjective for 'made of wood'.

2. describing a person's way of moving, speaking, or behaving as unnatural and stif

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a person's way of moving, speaking, or behaving as unnatural and stiff, as if they lack ease, emotion, or natural grace — such as a performer who does not show feeling, or a smile that seems forced.

例句

Jude gave a wooden speech at the ceremony, reading every word from the page.

collocation: wooden speech

Reema's acting in the play felt wooden — she showed no real emotion.

predicative: felt wooden

同義詞
  • stiff

    Emphasises lack of flexibility in movement or behaviour; can also describe physical objects (a stiff door), while 'wooden' in this sense is only figurative.

  • awkward

    Focuses on lack of grace or social ease; stronger connotation of social discomfort than 'wooden'.

  • unnatural

    Broader in meaning — describes anything that does not seem normal or genuine, not just movement or expression.

  • rigid

    Suggests refusal or inability to change posture or opinion; more severe and less common for performance criticism.

反義詞
  • natural

    The most direct opposite — describes behaviour that looks authentic and unstaged.

  • lively

    Suggests energy and animation, the opposite of stiff, wooden movement.

  • fluid

    Emphasises smooth, graceful motion — the opposite of awkward stiffness.

文法句型

wooden + noun

be/look/seem/feel + wooden

用法筆記

Commonly describes performances (acting, dancing, speeches), facial expressions (smile, bow), and public behaviour. Opposite: natural, fluid, lively, expressive. Not used for objects — only for people or their behaviour.

常見錯誤

❌The wooden man did not show emotion.
✅The actor's performance was wooden.
💡'Wooden' in this sense describes behaviour or performance, not a person directly as if they were literally made of wood.
❌Her voice was wooden and quiet.' (mixing senses)
✅Her voice was flat and expressionless.
💡'Wooden' in the figurative sense fits movements, facial expressions, and performances better than voice quality.