airless
airless — adjective
1. describing a room or other indoor space where the air feels heavy and stale, wit
describing a room or other indoor space where the air feels heavy and stale, with no breeze coming in, so it is uncomfortable to stay there for long.
The small attic room was hot and airless, so Viraj opened the window for some breeze.
predicative use after linking verb: 'be airless'
We sat through the meeting in an airless conference room without any working fan.
attributive: 'airless + room/space noun'
Diego felt sleepy after an hour in the hot, airless library on the top floor.
The basement studio was dark and airless, and a faint smell of damp hung in the air.
Old buses on this route are crowded and airless during the summer rush hour.
- stuffy
the most common everyday word; airless sounds slightly more formal or literary
- stifling
stronger; suggests the lack of air is so bad it is almost hard to breathe
- close
British, often paired with 'the air felt close'; warm and damp rather than only stale
- muggy
focuses on humid heat, can be used outdoors too, unlike airless
- airy
the natural opposite: open, with plenty of fresh air moving through
- ventilated
more technical; describes a space designed so that fresh air can circulate
- breezy
informal; suggests a pleasant flow of cool air
用法筆記
Almost always describes enclosed indoor spaces (rooms, offices, buildings, vehicles). Frequently paired with another negative adjective such as 'hot', 'stuffy', 'crowded', or 'dark' to build the picture of an uncomfortable place.