as in to isolate
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely
in his sad and lonely old age, he stiff-armed even once-beloved friends
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Recent Examples of stiff-arm
After stiff-arming challengers on the front 9, Cink played free and easy.
—
Jay Paris, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
Stripe can’t pay with its own shares, and would need rock-solid debt commitments to rebut any stiff-arm from PayPal.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 26 Feb. 2026
The 24-song set reeled in an impressive 280,000 equivalent album units, stiff-arming a surging Bad Bunny from pole position.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 19 Feb. 2026
Indiana kept its circle tight and held its belief tighter, stiff-arming infiltrators and doubters with equal authority.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026
In that sense, stiff-arming Disney is not likely to result in long-term satisfied customers.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
Lindsey needed to stiff-arm a tackler and every single inch to reach the pylon, as well as a replay review to uphold it, in order to score the game-winning touchdown in a 23-20 overtime win at Huntington Bank Stadium.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 Nov. 2025
But Sage essentially struck a Heisman Trophy pose, stiff-arming Shannon from any sort of reconciliation.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Dart finished that run by winding up a big stiff-arm for Chargers cornerback Cam Hart.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Jay Paris, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
Stripe can’t pay with its own shares, and would need rock-solid debt commitments to rebut any stiff-arm from PayPal.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 26 Feb. 2026
The 24-song set reeled in an impressive 280,000 equivalent album units, stiff-arming a surging Bad Bunny from pole position.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 19 Feb. 2026
Indiana kept its circle tight and held its belief tighter, stiff-arming infiltrators and doubters with equal authority.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026
In that sense, stiff-arming Disney is not likely to result in long-term satisfied customers.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025
Lindsey needed to stiff-arm a tackler and every single inch to reach the pylon, as well as a replay review to uphold it, in order to score the game-winning touchdown in a 23-20 overtime win at Huntington Bank Stadium.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 Nov. 2025
But Sage essentially struck a Heisman Trophy pose, stiff-arming Shannon from any sort of reconciliation.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Dart finished that run by winding up a big stiff-arm for Chargers cornerback Cam Hart.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff-arm
Verb
-
Inspectors found that a detainee showing symptoms of TB was not isolated, posing a potential risk to others.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Mel is adrift after getting fired from her job as a therapist and isolated from her friend group due to Coop and Sam’s (Olivia Munn) affair.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Generally, my blowout starts to get limp and stiff around day three (despite sleeping in overnight blowout rods), but the week of my Cécred test, my mane still looked fresh-out-the-salon by day five.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
22 Mar. 2026
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Xavier Worthy #1 of the Kansas City Chiefs stiff arms Alex Highsmith #56 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium on December 25, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.—
Tom Chitty,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Olsson rejects The Athletic’s offer to take cover inside the coffee shop.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Last week, for example, the UK government rejected plans by a Chinese company, Ming Yang, to invest in a Scottish factory to produce wind turbine blades, citing national security reasons.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the mid-19th century, Kasanje was able to repulse a Portuguese military expedition.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
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Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Medical experts say if a rattlesnake bites, keep the area still, at or below heart level, do not apply ice, do not cut the wound, and do not suck out the venom – and seek help immediately.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The Aztecs were within nine points late in the first half against Michigan and had a 3 rattle out that would have cut it to six before getting their doors blown off 94-54, their most lopsided defeat of the 21st century.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Consignment stores rely on stocking items that feel current, so anything that screams a specific past era—think cold-shoulder tops or a bandage dress—isn’t likely to make the cut.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Feb. 2026
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Over the next half decade, Biden cold-shouldered the Turkish government.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In drills, Taiwan has rehearsed repelling a seaborne assault with drones, fast patrol craft, mobile Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles and Marine Corps teams.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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The housekeeping team fogs the balés every week to keep most of the biting insects at bay, and gardens teeming with mosquito-repelling lemongrass and zodia plants help keep them at a distance.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those who snub the technology will be outpaced by those who embrace it.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
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Most notably, Johnson snubbed Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur's handshake attempt after Chicago beat Green Bay 31-27 in the NFC Wild Card.—
Megan Armstrong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stiff-arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff-arm. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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