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stuffiness

Stuffiness is either the quality of lacking good air flow or ventilation, like the stuffiness of an attic in the summer, or the characteristic of being narrow-minded and judgmental, like the stuffiness of your stern and proper Aunt Hilda.

There's the stuffiness of your parents' overheated car, and then there's the stuffiness of your nose when you have a cold—in the latter case, stuffiness means "having the quality of being stuffed up or congested." The personality trait of stuffiness applies to people who aren't open to change or to new ideas, but are stuck in a conventional way of thinking: "His stuffiness meant he could never really enjoy our rowdy parties."

Definitions of stuffiness
  1. noun
    the quality of being close and poorly ventilated
    synonyms: closeness
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    type of:
    quality
    an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
  2. noun
    state of obstruction or stoppage or air in the nose or throat
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    type of:
    congestion
    excessive accumulation of blood or other fluid in a body part
  3. noun
    dull and pompous gravity
    synonyms: stodginess
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    type of:
    graveness, gravity, soberness, sobriety, somberness, sombreness
    a manner that is serious and solemn
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘stuffiness'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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