1
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
use a stiff piece of paper for the project
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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
Jason Lamphier, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
For me, at six-foot-one and 170 pounds, the seats bridged an acceptable middle ground between stiff and supportive.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Sep. 2025
After one of his clients stiffs him, Veneno runs into Muñeco (Osvaldo Sanchez), a trucker in his 40s who spends long weeks away from his estranged family, drinking and doing drugs to stay awake on the job.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
After one of his clients stiffs him, Veneno runs into Muñeco (Osvaldo Sanchez), a trucker in his 40s who spends long weeks away from his estranged family, drinking and doing drugs to stay awake on the job.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Adjective
While its title track may lose out to the stiff competition in the ROTY and SOTY categories, the album is greater than the sum of its parts.
—Jason Lamphier, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
For me, at six-foot-one and 170 pounds, the seats bridged an acceptable middle ground between stiff and supportive.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
After one john stiffs him, leaving him high and dry, he’s offered a ride by Muñeco (Osvaldo Sanchez), who’s a touch more kindly than most of his trucker brethren.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Sep. 2025
After one of his clients stiffs him, Veneno runs into Muñeco (Osvaldo Sanchez), a trucker in his 40s who spends long weeks away from his estranged family, drinking and doing drugs to stay awake on the job.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
Focusing mostly on the commercial fishing boat Andrea Gail and its doomed crew of working-class stiffs (including pre-megastardom George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, not to mention John Hawkes and John C. Reilly), the film is a clinic in stomach-gnawing tension.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
After one of his clients stiffs him, Veneno runs into Muñeco (Osvaldo Sanchez), a trucker in his 40s who spends long weeks away from his estranged family, drinking and doing drugs to stay awake on the job.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff
Adjective
-
Instead of rigid voice commands, AI assistants will understand context, remember preferences, and carry on multi-step dialogues.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Andrew Fearn’s production on Planet X is typically circuitous, rigid loops pumping like factory machinery.—
Pete Tosiello,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Going through a severe injury is probably the toughest thing an athlete can go through.—
DJ Siddiqi,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
More companies are dialing back flexible work schedules and mandating that employees return to the office part-time or full-time, forcing women into tough situations.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Commissioners dismissed the allegations related to donor information but found that Ellis had accepted excessive contributions.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
29 Jan. 2026
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The restrictions, known as a consent decree, were a result of a 2017 lawsuit over excessive use of solitary confinement and pepper spray on inmates.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Bigger deals are harder to come by because of the current regulatory environment, Konanahalli said.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Also, the cold weather is forecast to get much worse from Sunday, with temperatures dropping even further and making the time frame for a pause in attacks hard to understand.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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When they’re installed without fixing underlying issues, homeowners can end up disappointed, uncomfortable or paying more than expected.—
Brynn Cooksey,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Lenses can crack, and frames can crack or warp in a way that makes wearing them difficult or uncomfortable.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This requires the difficult task of collecting precise, real-world measurements of complex nuclei and comparing the measurements with the models’ predictions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Feb. 2026
-
While that process may prove difficult, the suspension option was hardly better.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But observers expect that once the settlement agreement has received formal approval, borrowers with affected student loans will be quickly forced to select a different repayment plan, or the Education Department will choose for them.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The base fare for many ships also includes numerous dining venues with frequently changing menus, from casual buffets to a more formal sit-down meal.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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These conversations might surprise those who think of unhoused men and women as not too bright, drunk or somehow lesser.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
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And in Utah, judges are now allowed to ban you from buying alcohol if you get caught driving while extremely drunk.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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