wooden demeanor
- noun
- /ˈwʊdən dɪˈmiːnər/
:
actitud rígida
- Despite his achievements, his wooden demeanor made public speaking difficult for him.
Examples
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The interviewer's questions were met with a wooden demeanor and short answers.
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Her wooden demeanor made it hard to connect with her.
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Her wooden demeanor at the ceremony suggested she was deeply uncomfortable.
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Despite his talent, his wooden demeanor turned off the audience.
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Despite the exciting news, her wooden demeanor made it hard to tell if she was truly happy.
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His wooden demeanor during the presentation left the audience feeling disconnected from his message.
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Even in moments of celebration, she maintained a wooden demeanor, showing little emotion.
Synonyms
1
4.9
An awkward way of moving or speaking that shows nervousness
1
4.4
A calm lack of emotion when people expect a strong reaction
A stiff, awkward way of speaking or acting that does not feel natural
A way of speaking or acting that sounds stiff and unnatural
A face and behavior that show no feeling
A reserved, formal way of behaving that hides feelings
A way of behaving that is cold and unfriendly
A very cold, unfriendly way of behaving that keeps others away
Antonyms
How Stiff
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'wooden' (stiff, lacking warmth) modifies 'demeanor' (a person's behavior), so the phrase straightforwardly yields 'stiff or awkward behaviour.' This adjective+noun metaphor is a transparent extension of the literal senses and follows common patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Wooden demeanor paints a picture of a wooden puppet or statue that cannot move or show feeling. So someone with a wooden demeanor seems stiff, awkward, and 'lacking in emotion'.