stuffed shirt: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-LowInformal
Quick answer
What does “stuffed shirt” mean?
A person who is perceived as excessively formal, pompous, self-important, and lacking in a sense of humour or genuine warmth.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who is perceived as excessively formal, pompous, self-important, and lacking in a sense of humour or genuine warmth.
Can refer to any authority figure or institution regarded as rigid, conservative, and hidebound by outdated traditions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally recognized and used in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical in connotation.
Frequency
Slightly more common in historical and literary contexts; still understood but perhaps less frequently used in very casual modern speech.
Grammar
How to Use “stuffed shirt” in a Sentence
be/look like a stuffed shirtcall someone a stuffed shirtregard/treat as a stuffed shirtVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stuffed shirt” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The board was full of old stuffed shirts who vetoed every innovative idea.
- Don't be such a stuffed shirt—try to have some fun for once!
American English
- The new vice president turned out to be a real stuffed shirt at the company picnic.
- He came across as a stuffed shirt during the debate, quoting policy manuals endlessly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to criticise overly rigid managers or consultants who prioritise procedure over results.
Academic
Can describe professors overly focused on protocol and hierarchy rather than intellectual curiosity.
Everyday
Used humorously to describe anyone acting in an overly formal or self-important way.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “stuffed shirt”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “stuffed shirt”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stuffed shirt”
- Using it to describe someone who is simply well-dressed (it's about attitude, not clothing).
- Using it as a direct insult in formal writing (it's informal/derogatory).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is an insult, implying the person is pompous, self-important, and humourless.
Yes, it can refer to a person of any gender, though the stereotypical image is often male.
It originates from the early 20th century, likely from the practice of stuffing a shirt for use as a scarecrow or dummy, symbolising a hollow, artificial person.
It is derogatory and informal, so it should be used with caution. It is more mocking than viciously offensive.
A person who is perceived as excessively formal, pompous, self-important, and lacking in a sense of humour or genuine warmth.
Stuffed shirt is usually informal in register.
Stuffed shirt: in British English it is pronounced /ˌstʌft ˈʃɜːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌstʌft ˈʃɝːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's all shirt and no stuffing.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a formal shirt standing upright on its own, stiff and rigid because it's been STUFFED with pompousness instead of a real person.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PERSON IS AN ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT (lacking genuine human substance).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'stuffed shirt'?