She stiffened when he grabbed her shoulder.
The dogs stiffened in alarm.
The law would stiffen penalties for tax evasion.
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Moving the kink to one end makes that side soft and the opposite end stiff; placing it at the center softens the middle and stiffens both edges.—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Mar. 2026 The long lull in excitement threatened to sap our energy, and being stuck in a car for four hours after a morning of physical exertion can stiffen the body.—Gregory Thomas, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Mar. 2026 The prime minister’s demeanor stiffened.—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026 Lower levels of the hormone can stiffen blood vessels and accelerate blockages.—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stiffen