She stiffened when he grabbed her shoulder.
The dogs stiffened in alarm.
The law would stiffen penalties for tax evasion.
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In a similar way, a man who is defiant stiffens his neck, squares his shoulders, lowers his brows, and clenches his fists with his knuckles forward.—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025 The heart muscle may have thickened slightly, and arteries have likely stiffened, which can raise blood pressure.—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 17 Sep. 2025 China has been a consistent source of stress for Apple, given the stiffening smartphone competition and its huge manufacturing presence in the country.—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025 Broncos defense stiffens with good pressure on Jones.—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stiffen
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