1. (言谈)呆板的，生硬的，不自然的
If someone speaks in a stilted way, they speak in a formal or unnatural way, for example because they are not relaxed.

1. artificially formal

e.g. that artificial humility that her husband hated
contrived coyness
a stilted letter of acknowledgment
when people try to correct their speech they develop a stilted pronunciation

Synonym: artificialcontrivedhokey