wooden

adjective

wood·​en ˈwu̇-dᵊn How to pronounce wooden (audio)
1
: made or consisting of wood
2
: lacking ease or flexibility : awkwardly stiff
a wooden speech
a wooden performer
woodenly adverb
woodenness noun

Did you know?

Humans have been making objects out of wood since before there even was an English language, but the adjectival use of "wood" didn't come into being until the 14th century, and "wooden" didn't appear until the 16th. (The word wood has ancient roots, but it originally existed only as a noun.) In Middle English, the adjective of choice was "tree" or "treen," as in a "tree vessel" or "treen shoes." "Treen" in turn came from the Old English word trēowen, from the noun "trēow" ("tree") and the suffix -en, which was used to indicate that something was composed of a certain material. As far as we know, no one ever used "treen" figuratively to describe things that are stiff as a board, but "wooden" was put to broader use soon after it was first recorded.

Examples of wooden in a Sentence

The guest speaker was wooden and uninspiring. a movie with wooden dialogue
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Men of various ages and sizes were stretched out on the wooden bunks or settling in. Graydon Carter, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2025 From the earliest handmade wooden lures to swimbaits made of modern materials, there are countless freshwater lures available, each designed to meet the specific needs of the angler. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 In two northern towns, hundreds of women celebrated last week by playfully hitting men who teased them as a part of ritual with wooden sticks. Associated Press, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025 The interior design features curved wooden elements that not only add sculptural beauty but also enhance sound quality throughout the venue. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wooden

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wooden was in 1538

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Cite this Entry

“Wooden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wooden. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

wooden

adjective
wood·​en ˈwu̇d-ᵊn How to pronounce wooden (audio)
1
: made of wood
a wooden spoon
2
: lacking in spirit, ease, or charm
written in a wooden style
woodenly adverb
woodenness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wooden

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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