stiffen

verb

stiff·​en ˈsti-fən How to pronounce stiffen (audio)
stiffened; stiffening ˈsti-fə-niŋ How to pronounce stiffen (audio)
ˈstif-niŋ

intransitive verb

: to become stiff or stiffer
stiffener
ˈsti-fə-nər How to pronounce stiffen (audio)
ˈstif-nər
noun

Examples of stiffen in a Sentence

She stiffened when he grabbed her shoulder. The dogs stiffened in alarm. The law would stiffen penalties for tax evasion.
Recent Examples on the Web Analysts are largely blaming a harsh winter in much of the US, alongside stiffening competition, but aren’t ruling out other factors. Cameron Baker, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2024 For motorists without the luxury of an automatic-start vehicle to warm up before getting in, trying to keep bones from aching and joints from stiffening (the human joints) often proves difficult. The Arizona Republic, 10 Jan. 2024 After a tough start, their defense stiffened, and their offense started to find a flow. NBC News, 9 Jan. 2024 At the sound of someone descending the stairs, an Alpha marksman whose call sign is Mirage stiffened. Isabelle Khurshudyan, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 But as the competition stiffens in the later rounds of the playoffs, particularly if Mitty reaches the Open Division state final, the Monarchs will need all of their stars. Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 Last year, Ohio and Virginia also stiffened penalties for swatting. Gabe Gutierrez, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2024 In a dilapidated farm shed in New York’s rural North Country, the belongings of a migrant family who quietly took shelter one night were still visible months later: some clothing and children’s shoes, stiffened by the cold and a thin blanket of snow. Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 Their bill stiffens rules for social media companies, requiring tighter privacy protections for young users and independent audits to study the risks of social media platforms to minors. Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stiffen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of stiffen was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stiffen

Cite this Entry

“Stiffen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stiffen. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stiffen

verb
stiff·​en ˈstif-ən How to pronounce stiffen (audio)
stiffened; stiffening -(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce stiffen (audio)
: to make or become stiff or stiffer
stiffener noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stiffen

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