Stolid derives from stolidus, a word that means "dull" or "stupid" in Latin. It is also distantly related to the word stultify, meaning "to cause to appear or be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical." The earliest examples of usage for stolid, dating back to the early 17th century, indicate that it too was originally associated with a lack of smarts; it was used to describe people who were considered dull or stupid because they didn't wear their emotions on their sleeves. By the 1800s, however, stolid was frequently appearing without the connotation of foolishness, and it continues to be free of such overtones today.
impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression.
met the news with an impassive look
stoic implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often as a matter of principle or self-discipline.
was resolutely stoic even in adversity
phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse.
a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears
apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness.
charitable appeals met an apathetic response
stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity.
stolid workers wedded to routine
Examples of stolid in a Sentence
She remained stolid during the trial.
the butler responded to the duchess's constant demands with stolid indifference
Recent Examples on the WebIn truth, not even the most stolid skeptic maintains that Trump is a perfectly normal politician, and not even the most histrionic #Resistance foot soldier believes that Trump is literally Orange Hitler.—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024 Buck is more reassuringly stolid than live-wire Bucky, but both are models of courage.—Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024 Aidan, a character designed to contrast Chris Noth’s withholding Mr. Big and originally scheduled for just three episodes, was also, like much classic American furniture, stolid and unyielding.—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 20 June 2023 The entrance to the management building, a stolid modernist structure, was dominated by bronze letters reading cccp.—Elettra Pauletto, Harper's Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023 Musically speaking, both songs are stolid, turgid, and no fun.—David Cantwell, Time, 24 Aug. 2023 One is a sumptuously colored tapestry-weave wall hanging, probably from sixth-century Egypt, with an image of a stolid Virgin and Child flanked by archangels with TikTok haircuts.—Holland Cotter, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023 With a straight prow, stolid cabin top, broad aft deck and crow’s nest, the boat, the Western Flyer, is a throwback to the last century — more reminiscent of a child’s toy bobbing in a bathtub’s choppy water than anything taking to the seas today.—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023 The sixties were kicking up, and McMurtry toggled between working on an anonymous radical publication and writing stories about stolid, repressed cattle ranchers.—Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stolid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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