adj
Stepford
adj
1
Eerily obedient and conformist, especially in a way that suggests someone has had their individuality stripped away.
"The new employees seemed almost Stepford in how quickly they agreed with everything management said."
"She hated the Stepford vibe of the gated community, where every lawn and every smile looked identical."
2
Good-looking but bland, as if polished on the outside with no real personality underneath.
"He was handsome in a Stepford sort of way, all veneers and no substance."
How to Use Stepford
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCreepily perfect and compliant, like a robot copy of a real person.
Common mistake
Usually used as "Stepford wife" or "Stepford-like," rarely as a standalone noun.
Common pairings
Stepford wife
Stepford smile
a Stepford town
Word Forms
Stepfords plural
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The new employees seemed almost _____ in how quickly they agreed with everything management said.
Etymology
From the 1972 novel and film "The Stepford Wives," in which the women of a fictional town are secretly replaced by docile, perfectly obedient robotic duplicates.