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
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Recent Examples of stiff-arm
Sire Gaines #26 of the Boise State Broncos stiff-arms Kajuan Banks #13 of the South Florida Bulls in the first half of a game at Raymond James Stadium on August 28, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
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Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
Longtime Chargers observers know the player with the best stiff-arm in team history belonged to the incomparable LaDainian Tomlinson.
—Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Now fully cleared, Norfleet has been working to avoid unnecessary hits — using stiff-arms or quick cuts instead of always lowering his shoulder — and is focusing on improving his route running through film study and experimentation.
—Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2025
With nowhere to distribute the football, Rodgers broke the pocket and scampered to the sideline, stiff-arming Sawyer before ducking out of bounds.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025
Hurts tossed two touchdown passes in his first game since a late-season concussion, Goedert threw those three stiff-arms on a rugged TD catch and the Eagles rode their NFL-best defense to a 22-10 wild-card playoff win Sunday night.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
Longtime Chargers observers know the player with the best stiff-arm in team history belonged to the incomparable LaDainian Tomlinson.
—Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Now fully cleared, Norfleet has been working to avoid unnecessary hits — using stiff-arms or quick cuts instead of always lowering his shoulder — and is focusing on improving his route running through film study and experimentation.
—Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2025
With nowhere to distribute the football, Rodgers broke the pocket and scampered to the sideline, stiff-arming Sawyer before ducking out of bounds.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025
Hurts tossed two touchdown passes in his first game since a late-season concussion, Goedert threw those three stiff-arms on a rugged TD catch and the Eagles rode their NFL-best defense to a 22-10 wild-card playoff win Sunday night.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff-arm
Verb
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Ever since graphene was first isolated, scientists have been exploring similar ultra-thin crystals for their unusual properties.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Sep. 2025
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Finally, after a holding penalty on Ross erased Morris’ apparent 8-yard touchdown run, Kitchings dialed up a wheel route that isolated running back Xavier Brown on linebacker Elijah Herring.—
David Teel,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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Symptoms progress to stiff neck and seizures, as well as cognitive symptoms, like confusion and hallucinations.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
People.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors also sought another charge of making false statements, court documents released Thursday show, but the grand jury rejected it.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
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ByteDance and TikTok had challenged the law on First Amendment grounds but the Supreme Court rejected its appeal.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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He was repulsed then, but years later, thinking about a man who’d expressed an interest in the human body in the most macabre possible way sparked something in Hunnam.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
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Jackson was repulsed at the idea of the film being shown to the public, as was Zapruder, who quickly settled again with Time-Life.—
Time,
Time,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The 2-point conversion attempt failed, but the Packers cut the gap to 21-6.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
27 Sep. 2025
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Stocks got some help from a report on inflation that suggested the Federal Reserve may be able to continue cutting interest rates.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the first episode, the recruits wasted no time in repelling from a helicopter hovering in the air.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Sep. 2025
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The devices can be plugged into outlets near possible access points to repel rats from entering.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That doesn’t sound like someone who felt snubbed in any way, shape or form.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
25 Sep. 2025
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Trump had previously teased that Biden would be snubbed in his presidential gallery.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Jones, again, slighted the punt coverage with a 61-yard return to the Carolina 14-yard line.—
Mike Kaye
September 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2025
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The former Michigan and San Diego State coach, simply put, has been slighted by the hall.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stiff-arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff-arm. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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