as in to isolate
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely
in his sad and lonely old age, he stiff-armed even once-beloved friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stiff-arm
Some artists have extended that direct-to-fan ethos to press, giving traditional journalism the stiff-arm.
—
John Kennedy,
VIBE.com,
9 June 2026
With the administration likely to again stiff-arm their requests, seeking corporate communications with Trump officials could be an easier way in.
—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
5 June 2026
The next game, stiff-arming guys.
—
Sean Joseph Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
After stiff-arming challengers on the front 9, Cink played free and easy.
—
Jay Paris,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
The 24-song set reeled in an impressive 280,000 equivalent album units, stiff-arming a surging Bad Bunny from pole position.
—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
19 Feb. 2026
Indiana kept its circle tight and held its belief tighter, stiff-arming infiltrators and doubters with equal authority.
—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
In that sense, stiff-arming Disney is not likely to result in long-term satisfied customers.
—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
11 Nov. 2025
Lindsey needed to stiff-arm a tackler and every single inch to reach the pylon, as well as a replay review to uphold it, in order to score the game-winning touchdown in a 23-20 overtime win at Huntington Bank Stadium.
—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
1 Nov. 2025
John Kennedy,
VIBE.com,
9 June 2026
With the administration likely to again stiff-arm their requests, seeking corporate communications with Trump officials could be an easier way in.
—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
5 June 2026
The next game, stiff-arming guys.
—
Sean Joseph Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
After stiff-arming challengers on the front 9, Cink played free and easy.
—
Jay Paris,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
The 24-song set reeled in an impressive 280,000 equivalent album units, stiff-arming a surging Bad Bunny from pole position.
—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
19 Feb. 2026
Indiana kept its circle tight and held its belief tighter, stiff-arming infiltrators and doubters with equal authority.
—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
In that sense, stiff-arming Disney is not likely to result in long-term satisfied customers.
—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
11 Nov. 2025
Lindsey needed to stiff-arm a tackler and every single inch to reach the pylon, as well as a replay review to uphold it, in order to score the game-winning touchdown in a 23-20 overtime win at Huntington Bank Stadium.
—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
1 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff-arm
Verb
-
Now, in Crimea, Kyiv is systematically targeting key transport links and supply routes connecting the peninsula to southern Russian forces, aiming to disrupt logistics and isolate military infrastructure there.
-
Her direction here wisely emphasizes the actors, and possibly overdoes it with the mirrors — lotta symbolically reflective surfaces and isolating frames within frames — but there’s never the sensation that the person behind the camera is winging it.
Verb
-
Testers noted how plush or stiff the mattress felt after consistent sleep on the mattresses, from a boxed memory foam to a hybrid bed.
-
All of which brings us to a basic conclusion: implicit in their support for the IFPA’s implementation, Illinois business owners are making explicit their desire to stiff their workers.
Verb
-
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez rejected those motions.
-
Goldman has drawn criticism for refusing to reject support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group.
Verb
-
Plenty of people bought it, plenty were repulsed by it.
-
Spearmint and peppermint plants are particularly effective insect repellents, but many other plants in the mint family can also be used to repulse flies, including pennyroyal and lemon balm.
Verb
-
Kirkmeyer has campaigned on affordability and safety issues, Bottoms is pushing for a redo of the state's education system among other things and Marx wants to cut regulations and lower the cost of living.
-
Terrell Carstens, a 25-year resident of Brookhaven, said she is frustrated the city made little effort to find places to cut costs instead of raising the rate.
Verb
-
Consignment stores rely on stocking items that feel current, so anything that screams a specific past era—think cold-shoulder tops or a bandage dress—isn’t likely to make the cut.
-
Over the next half decade, Biden cold-shouldered the Turkish government.
Verb
-
Key Takeaways Mosquitoes are repelled by plants with strong scents, including citronella grass.
-
At the heart of the battle will be Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and his fleet, fighting to repel the offensive led by Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) and the forces of the Triarchy.
Verb
-
Derrick Brown Brown, the Panthers’ record-breaking defensive lineman, is no stranger to being snubbed from such league-wide lists.
-
Over the years, the Oscars have garnered a reputation for snubbing studio tentpoles from consideration in above-the-line categories.
Cite this Entry
“Stiff-arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff-arm. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
