WordGarden.iostolidly
C2Pronunciation
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Meanings
Adverb
in a calm, unemotional, and not easily excited way
Beyond the definition
Imagine an old oak tree standing through a storm, solid and hardly changed by the noise around it. That's the feeling this word gives. It describes doing something in a calm, steady way, usually without showing much emotion. A character might speak stolidly after bad news, or a soldier might march stolidly through danger.
The word comes from "stolid," which means not easily moved to show feeling. Think of someone who stays plain-faced and steady when things get hard. It is most often used for people and their behavior, but it can also describe how something continues in a dull, steady way: "The old machine continued to operate stolidly despite its age."
"Stolidly" is an adverb that describes how something is done - specifically, in a steady, unemotional, and not easily disturbed manner. It paints a picture of firmness, endurance, and very little outward expression.
Think about a farmer who keeps working the land through drought and hardship; they do so stolidly, not complaining or showing despair, but simply continuing. Or consider a witness in court who answers questions plainly and without flinching - they testify stolidly, keeping their composure under pressure.
The key element of "stolidly" is its suggestion of emotional restraint. It's not just about being firm; it's about being firm without showing much feeling. A person might stolidly ignore criticism, a worker might stolidly carry on with a difficult task, or a government might stolidly keep the same policy despite public anger.
It often suggests a kind of stoicism - an acceptance of what comes with quiet strength. While not always positive or negative, "stolidly" usually implies remaining unmoved and steady in the face of difficulty, pressure, or change. It is a word that brings to mind calm endurance, self-control, and a quiet inner strength.
Examples
- 1
Conflict
He stood stolidly by the door while everyone else argued.
- 2
Public response
She answered the reporter's questions stolidly, without changing her expression.
- 3
Sports criticism
The team listened stolidly to the coach's criticism and went back to practice.
- 4
Work persistence
Even after the bad news, he kept working stolidly at his desk.
See also
Similar
- impassively
- unemotionally
- phlegmatically
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- answered stolidly
- sat stolidly
- stolidly indifferent
Word family
- stolid
- stolidity
Explore
- emotional restraint
- impassivity
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- stolidlyadverb