Basic Details
Word: Stilted
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Stiff, formal and unnatural, used about the way someone speaks or writes, as if they are reading from a card.
Synonyms: stiff, wooden, awkward, forced
Antonyms: natural, relaxed, fluent
How to Spell Stilted
Syllables: stilt - ed
Tricky part: It is stilt plus ed, with one l and one t before the ending. Students sometimes double the t (stiltted) or write stillted.
Watch out for: stiltted, stillted, stilteed
Memory tip: Imagine someone walking on stilts, stiff and unsteady; stilted speech is just as stiff. Write stilt, then add ed.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The robot in the film spoke in a stilted, flat voice.
Example 2: Her first letter in English was a little stilted, but the second one sounded like her.
Example 3: The conversation felt stilted until someone mentioned cricket.
Fun Fact
In architecture, a stilted arch is one that rises from straight upright sections above its supports, so it looks as if it stands on stilts.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word stilted as it is used in the sentence:
His welcome speech sounded stilted because he read every word from a card without looking up.
a) awkward
b) stiff
c) wooden
d) natural
Show answer
d) natural. A speaker who looks up and talks freely sounds natural, the reverse of stilted.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
stiltted
a) i
b) t
c) e
d) l
Show answer
b) t. Stilt simply takes ed, so only one t comes before the ending.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The actor's dlttsie lines made the audience giggle during the serious scene.
a) titled
b) stilted
c) salted
d) tilted
Show answer
b) stilted. Tilted and titled are one letter short, and salted has an a; only stilted uses all seven letters.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Stilted writing sounds ____.
a) short and clear
b) funny and lively
c) stiff and unnatural
d) loud and angry
Show answer
c) stiff and unnatural
2. Which object gives its name to the word stilted?
a) a stilt
b) a stool
c) a stalk
d) a stile
Show answer
a) a stilt
