Definition of staidnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word staid different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of staid are earnest, grave, sedate, serious, sober, and solemn. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Where would earnest be a reasonable alternative to staid?

While the synonyms earnest and staid are close in meaning, earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

When can grave be used instead of staid?

While in some cases nearly identical to staid, grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When is sedate a more appropriate choice than staid?

The meanings of sedate and staid largely overlap; however, sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

In what contexts can serious take the place of staid?

The words serious and staid can be used in similar contexts, but serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

When could sober be used to replace staid?

In some situations, the words sober and staid are roughly equivalent. However, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When would solemn be a good substitute for staid?

The words solemn and staid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of staid For the record, last year’s Golden Globes weren’t super political either, but this year’s felt even more staid and family friendly. Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026 Despite its often staid and stuffy reputation, the subject of wine is truly intriguing and dynamic, especially for those of us whose job is not just tasting wine but also taking regular deep dives into the story behind the story. Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 4 Jan. 2026 At the one-of-a-kind Deep Ocean Spa, the first thalassotherapy center in French Polynesia, you’re given a pareu and flip-flops as an alternative to the staid robe and slippers. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025 The brightly colored lamps, art, and fabrics add a punch that keeps this room from being stuffy or staid. Zoe Gowen, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for staid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staid
Adjective
  • Although there will be a couple of weeks of sports competitions to come, none are possible without an opening ceremony, a combination of solemn official protocol with a fantastic representation of the host country’s culture and character, evoking the Olympic spirit itself.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The show looks glamorous — custom design, lush staging, a format that nods to late-night talk shows rather than solemn panels.
    Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The team had already excavated the other three corners of a narrow tomb occupied by an imposing, unnamed sarcophagus.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
  • The most imposing building on Main Street is a gun shop called Chandler’s Firearms Estates, on the corner of East Church Street.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • In a statement to NBC News, Daiichi Sankyo, which makes Savaysa, said that the drug is used to reduce the risk of stroke and clots but added that anticoagulants can increase the risk of serious bleeding.
    David Cox, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Many of these people had been charged with serious crimes like assaulting security officers or bus and train operators, weapons possession, or threatening drivers.
    Amber Gaudet Updated February 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Folks rolled into the Mercury Theater, then under the management of Michael Cullen, who conveniently owned the Irish pub next door, replete with a distinguished meatloaf.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers (13 points) The Steelers summoned the 62-year-old Pittsburgh native after his one-year sabbatical, and McCarthy will continue his distinguished coaching tour after leading the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys earlier in his career.
    Jeff Howe, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • That way, your ideas can land without sounding stern.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Carro ended the hearing with a stern directive to defense lawyers, who repeatedly pushed back on the June 8 trial date.
    Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The five preceding episodes depicted Louie’s worsening health, with Harden keeping a dignified smile on Louie’s face but also moving a little slower and admitting to more pain.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Imagining a dignified city through art Her process is fast and intuitive.
    Yamlek Mojica, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Lee Martino’s choreography, like the production as a whole, is at its best when observing decorous constraints.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Paul has to buck the prevailing suffragist movement led by Carrie Chapman Catt, whose methods are more decorous and patient.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • That quotation alludes to the many Proustian echoes in Bowen’s story set in an aristocratic Big House during the 1919-21 War of Independence.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
  • It was restored over the course of a decade and feels elegant and aristocratic without tipping into museum territory, with several reception rooms, a billiard room, a modern kitchen, and seven en-suite bedrooms.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Staid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staid. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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