1
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
use a stiff piece of paper for the project
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2
as in tough
difficult to endure
stiff winds
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3
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
don't you think that's a pretty stiff fine for such a minor infraction?
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4
as in hard
having a consistency that does not easily yield to pressure
stir two cups of flour with the remaining ingredients to make a stiff dough
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5
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance
felt stiff and ill-at-ease whenever she was introduced to her parents' friends
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6
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
we'll have a stiff climb to actually reach the summit
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7
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
the stiff politeness with which I was greeted suggested that they weren't truly happy to see me
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8
as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol
seeing that the customer was more than a little stiff, the bartender offered to call a cab for him
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1
2
as in person
a member of the human race
one lucky stiff will get the biggest jackpot in the lottery's history
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1
as in to cut
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely
the actress has a reputation for stiffing the press at red-carpet events
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2
as in to squeeze
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
customers who were too embarrassed to admit that they had been stiffed by an Internet company claiming to sell designer handbags
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stiff
Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
The footbed offers noticeable arch and heel support, while the cushioning is firm enough to stay stable without feeling stiff.
—Lauren Paige Richeson, Health, 29 May 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 July 2024
The Thing is one of those rare sci-fi horrors that stands the test of time due to its suspenseful pacing and its groundbreaking practical effects by Rob Bottin, leaving you both frozen and scared stiff.
—Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
But the administration's efforts to abolish federal agencies authorized by Congress are likely to meet the same fate as their attempts to stiff USAID contractors.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Adjective
The Tesla brand in China also faces stiff competition, George added.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
The footbed offers noticeable arch and heel support, while the cushioning is firm enough to stay stable without feeling stiff.
—Lauren Paige Richeson, Health, 29 May 2025
Noun
Focusing mostly on the commercial fishing boat Andrea Gail and its doomed crew of working-class stiffs (including pre-megastardom George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, not to mention John Hawkes and John C. Reilly), the film is a clinic in stomach-gnawing tension.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 July 2024
The Thing is one of those rare sci-fi horrors that stands the test of time due to its suspenseful pacing and its groundbreaking practical effects by Rob Bottin, leaving you both frozen and scared stiff.
—Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
Felt is warm, easily dyed and stiff enough to hold a cone shape.
—Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
But the administration's efforts to abolish federal agencies authorized by Congress are likely to meet the same fate as their attempts to stiff USAID contractors.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff
Adjective
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But Song refuses to stack the deck, including a comparable number of women whose rigid demands significantly narrow the market.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
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Art and humor force us to break out of those rigid coordinates through laughter, critical thinking and refusing to conform, to consider the world in different ways.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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In Mind For startups, achieving more with less can be tough.—
John Hall,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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The vote took place against an increasingly violent backlash to the Trump administration's tough immigration policies.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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As a Millennial what’s your take on Gen Z’s excessive use of exclamation points?—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
9 June 2025
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The coroner ruled Carol’s cause of death as hypovolemia, which is when the plasma is too low from excessive bleeding; multiple stab and incised wounds from a sharp instrument; and a blunt force injury that fractured the skull, according to the coroner’s report.—
Stephanie Warsmith,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most marketing ROI is based on incomplete data and backward-looking models that oversimplify human behavior.—
Gully Flowers,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Bloating Bloating is a common and often uncomfortable feeling of stomach fullness or tightness.—
T'Keyah Bazin,
Verywell Health,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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No matter how sweet, the little crocodile grows bigger and more difficult to care for.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
10 June 2025
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Despite her risky gambit, Metcalfe, who is studying to be an attorney at the University of Law in Manchester, England, admits that her sport has helped her through some of the most difficult times of her life.—
Andy Frye,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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How to Identify High-Value Problems Worth Solving Finding bottlenecks worth addressing requires both formal and informal research methods.—
AllBusiness,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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The formal black-tie awards dinner will be June 28 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido Conference Center.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The victims of drunk and/or drug driving are not the only people impacted.—
Duane O. King,
Baltimore Sun,
10 June 2025
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And rather than exact revenge on a jock bully, nerdy William gets drunk, sheds his dorky image, and becomes a party god.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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