1
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
use a stiff piece of paper for the project
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Relevance
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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
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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stiff
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Like a zombie clawing its stiff, cold hand through the dirt of its grave, VHS refuses to die.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
When your sugar mixture reaches 230°F, begin beating your egg whites to firm peak stage; egg whites will hold their shape but not quite to stiff peak stage.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025
Wengel Gemu, Vanity Fair, 15 Jan. 2026
Behind the gross-out jokes and knife-sharp takes, there was a champion of the working stiff, a keen observer of history, a self-conscious artist with a deep love for writing and filmmaking.
—Gabe Hiatt, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Adjective
Helmed by Executive Chef Elly Wentworth (a one-to-watch having shimmied over from stalwart restaurant, the Angel in Dartmouth), Fowlescombe’s kitchen disregards old-world hotel dining with its stiff formalities, along with the frothy alchemy of the Michelin set.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Like a zombie clawing its stiff, cold hand through the dirt of its grave, VHS refuses to die.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Best Sweatpant Jeans Gap New Ease Jeans Say goodbye to stiff denim waistbands thanks to the Gap New Ease Jeans.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
When your sugar mixture reaches 230°F, begin beating your egg whites to firm peak stage; egg whites will hold their shape but not quite to stiff peak stage.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
Marty Supreme is stuffed with street kids, working stiffs, midcentury aristocrats, and world-class athletes, all clad in crisp, period-accurate garb.
—Wengel Gemu, Vanity Fair, 15 Jan. 2026
Behind the gross-out jokes and knife-sharp takes, there was a champion of the working stiff, a keen observer of history, a self-conscious artist with a deep love for writing and filmmaking.
—Gabe Hiatt, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff
Adjective
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Iris’ dreams of becoming an artist are impeded by her oppressive boss and rigid social structure of the 1850s.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
-
News articles and photos of the casual picnic enamored Americans, transforming their view of the royals as rigid and aristocratic to more down-to-earth.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lightly coated with oil and tossed occasionally in a searing hot skillet or wok, even tough beans turn silky, and ready to coat in a finishing blast of chiles.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
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Comfortable travel can be achieved with stretchy, breathable pants, but securing a pair that hits those marks while looking stylish can be tough.—
Rachel Trujillo,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The authors argued that the typical American diet contained excessive calories and fat and lacked sufficient amounts of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
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This development enables high-performance batteries to function without the bulky pressurization hardware that often adds excessive weight and volume to electric vehicle battery packs.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Larysa, Oleh, and their cousins would scale apple trees and bite into unripe fruit, hard and green.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The best way to do that is to take the least amount of gas (since the tires are hard like hockey pucks and don’t wear out much).—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After consulting with the Ravens’ team physician — and those of the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants — DeCosta became uncomfortable with the prognosis.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
No longer in the context of the coffee shop, the manager looked uncomfortable and out of place, his power diminished, an average guy in a bad suit, who had had to take time off from his job to come downtown to a federal office in an Art Deco building.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But with the Lightning taking back home-ice advantage with this win and the series shifting back to Tampa, where Cooper will have full control of the matchup, the task becomes that much more difficult for the Suzuki line.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The dress code was white tie—known as the most formal dress code in the United States.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
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Authorities say a homicide investigation that began in 1973 has now been brought to a formal close, more than a half-century after a woman was found dead in a Northern Virginia state forest.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Those who are caught routinely speeding in school zones are not any less dangerous than those who drive drunk.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Ward had previously spent two days in jail after suffocating her 2-month-old son while drunk and high.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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