staid
1 of 2adjective
ˈstād 
: marked by settled sedateness and often prim self-restraint : sober, grave
staidly adverb
staidness noun
staid
2 of 2past tense and past participle of stay
Synonyms
Adjective
- earnest
- grave
- humorless
- no-nonsense
- po-faced [British]
- sedate
- serious
- severe
- sober
- sobersided
- solemn
- uncomic
- unsmiling
- weighty
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective a staid and solemn businessman everyone was surprised by the racy joke from the usually staid professor
Recent Examples on the Web
Gavin Blair, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2022 Melnyk’s outspokenness has caused waves in the staid world of German politics, but his friction with the German political establishment also reflects broader tensions in the Ukraine-Germany relationship. Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 15 June 2022 The unit accounts for about a quarter of 3M’s revenue and is a top source of growth, and the one-two punch of news showed Roman’s willingness to shake up the staid, insular conglomerate. Erin Prater, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2022 As a result, the league is calling attention to itself and drawing criticism in ways that are extraordinary for the once-staid group. Megan O’matz, ProPublica, 18 Aug. 2022 The fight over face masks made Moms for Liberty a presence at Central Florida school board meetings, turning once staid policy discussions into sometimes tense and raucous affairs. Leslie Postal, orlandosentinel.com, 20 Nov. 2021 Volatility also has seeped into the banks’ stocks, which now trade more like crypto firms than their staid banking peers. David Benoit, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 In contrast to typically staid rule hearings, the crowd at Friday’s session frequently broke out in applause and more than once attempted to shout down opponents of the proposal. Sun Sentinel, 8 July 2022 Featuring 171 works, the exhibition engages the culture wars on every front, a decidedly confrontational display for the historically staid craft museum. Kriston Capps, Washington Post, 6 Aug. 2022 See More
Adjective
Bill Nighy plays a staid bureaucrat who is inspired to change his life after receiving shocking news. Gavin Blair, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2022 Melnyk’s outspokenness has caused waves in the staid world of German politics, but his friction with the German political establishment also reflects broader tensions in the Ukraine-Germany relationship. Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 15 June 2022 The unit accounts for about a quarter of 3M’s revenue and is a top source of growth, and the one-two punch of news showed Roman’s willingness to shake up the staid, insular conglomerate. Erin Prater, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2022 As a result, the league is calling attention to itself and drawing criticism in ways that are extraordinary for the once-staid group. Megan O’matz, ProPublica, 18 Aug. 2022 The fight over face masks made Moms for Liberty a presence at Central Florida school board meetings, turning once staid policy discussions into sometimes tense and raucous affairs. Leslie Postal, orlandosentinel.com, 20 Nov. 2021 Volatility also has seeped into the banks’ stocks, which now trade more like crypto firms than their staid banking peers. David Benoit, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 In contrast to typically staid rule hearings, the crowd at Friday’s session frequently broke out in applause and more than once attempted to shout down opponents of the proposal. Sun Sentinel, 8 July 2022 Featuring 171 works, the exhibition engages the culture wars on every front, a decidedly confrontational display for the historically staid craft museum. Kriston Capps, Washington Post, 6 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
from past participle of stay entry 3
First Known Use
Adjective
1557, in the meaning defined above
staidness
noun
as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling the staidness of the Quaker meeting was surprising to those accustomed to more exuberant services Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- intentness
- earnestness
- gravity
- solemnness
- solemnity
- soberness
- earnest
- decisiveness
- seriousness
- purposefulness
- graveness
- attentiveness
- sobriety
- humorlessness
- intensity
- resoluteness
- deliberation
- serious-mindedness
- gravitas
- concentration
- immersion
- absorption
- resolve
- firmness
- enthrallment
- determination
- engrossment
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- flippancy
- frivolity
- levity
- lightheartedness
- frivolousness
- lightness
- flightiness
- facetiousness
- superficiality
- lightness
- play
- shallowness
- unseriousness
- gayety
- dilettantism
- cheerfulness
- mirth
- gaiety
- dalliance
- glee
- merriment
- high-spiritedness