as in strengthens
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
plans to further stiffen the already onerous requirements for admission to the elite military unit
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Recent Examples of stiffens
The luxury retailer, weighed down by debt, is under pressure as consumers shift their shopping habits and competition stiffens.
—
Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
The schedule stiffens over the final four with Green Bay and Jacksonville at home, a Christmas night game at Kansas City and then Week 18 at home against the Los Angeles Chargers.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Nov. 2025
The light stiffens and grabs hold of us.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
High-Cholesterol Foods Foods high in cholesterol can negatively affect blood pressure, contributing to atherosclerosis (plaque buildup that narrows and stiffens the arteries).
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 28 Oct. 2025
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
Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
The schedule stiffens over the final four with Green Bay and Jacksonville at home, a Christmas night game at Kansas City and then Week 18 at home against the Los Angeles Chargers.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Nov. 2025
The light stiffens and grabs hold of us.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
High-Cholesterol Foods Foods high in cholesterol can negatively affect blood pressure, contributing to atherosclerosis (plaque buildup that narrows and stiffens the arteries).
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 28 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffens
strengthens
Verb
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Trust that tending to your foundations strengthens your public success.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
-
If money, knowledge, or labor feel uneven, propose simple rules and choose transparency, because trust strengthens when everyone sees the same numbers.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stiffens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffens. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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