Stolid means showing little or no emotion, especially when most people would react strongly. A stolid person stays calm and expressionless even when something exciting, upsetting, or surprising happens around them.

Picture a student who receives an award in front of the whole school and just walks up to accept it with the same blank expression they'd have while waiting for the bus. Or imagine someone watching a thrilling movie finale without changing their facial expression at all. That's being stolid: unmoved, impassive, steady to the point of seeming almost emotionless.

The word often describes people who seem impossible to ruffle or excite. A stolid security guard might stand perfectly still and expressionless for hours, barely blinking as people rush past. A stolid horse stays calm even during a thunderstorm, while other horses panic and whinny.

Being stolid isn't quite the same as being brave or patient. Brave people might feel afraid but act anyway. Patient people might feel frustrated but wait calmly. Stolid people seem not to feel much at all. They're like stones: solid, unchanging, and hard to read. Sometimes this steadiness helps in stressful situations, but it can also make stolid people seem distant or hard to connect with.