1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
he was too stiff-necked to admit that "underlings" might have useful ideas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
her dinner parties are typically stiff-necked affairs, more to be endured than enjoyed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
obviously uninterested in hearing any excuses, the stiff-necked officer handed me my speeding ticket with a flourish
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stiff-necked
But some Jews stubbornly refused to assimilate and continued the sometimes strange and stiff-necked traditions of our people.
—
TIME, 11 Dec. 2023
TIME, 11 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff-necked
Adjective
-
Zane played the arrogant Cal Hockley, who was engaged to Jack's love interest, Rose (played by Kate Winslet).—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Hardly seems like enough to cow these arrogant companies into behaving, especially when their business model is so intrinsically tied to hoovering up other people’s information and creative work.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
A day after Utah prosecutors unveiled formal charges against the suspect in the assassination of Kirk, no evidence has emerged connecting 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with any outside group.—
Trevor Hunnicutt,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
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This approach inadvertently excludes several groups—including low- to moderate-income households, migrants and others—who face challenges such as lack of formal identification, irregular income streams and limited digital literacy.—
Akhil Gupta,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Inflation is stubborn, unemployment is rising and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has even confirmed that Gen Z grads just can’t get a break right now.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Clean With Vinegar And Dish Soap Dish soap cuts through grease and grime to make removing stubborn dirt easier.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Lloyd is 100 percent correct that throwing him into his first start against any of those teams could end up being a massive mistake and could set him up for failure.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
All documents marked secret should only be visible to people with the correct clearances.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But while much of record labels’ promotional efforts have shifted to platforms including TikTok, Shinedown has remained adamant about the importance of terrestrial radio.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
18 Sep. 2025
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In a 24/7 news cycle, Hemmer is adamant about balancing urgency with accuracy.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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These two were working very stiff, including a gnarly pair of double-knees by Stephanie Vaquer to Kairi Sane.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The bristles are neither too floppy nor too stiff, neither too long nor too short, and are cut to the perfect rounded shape that’s just right for swirling pigment over the apples or spreading it along your cheekbones—without having to work too hard for a completely natural finish.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These aren't nice-to-haves anymore.—
Jaime Catmull,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The futon mattress is comfortable and has a nice weight distribution thanks to the pocket springs wrapped in polyester fiber.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
On Monday, her husband, the Duke of Kent, and daughter Lady Helen Taylor appeared solemn as her coffin was taken by hearse from Kensington Palace to Westminster Cathedral for a private vigil.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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No happening is too solemn, in this world, for a heaping portion of unabashed self-promotion.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stiff-necked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff-necked. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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