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
New Atlas, 20 Feb. 2026
Today, for the first time at the Olympics, skiers will scamper uphill wearing carpet-like skins on their skis or just their stiff boots, then barrel back down an ungroomed course.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 19 Feb. 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
In practice, this means clearer speech in busy soundscapes – an area where the Bose QC and AirPods Pro 2 offer stiff competition.
—New Atlas, 20 Feb. 2026
Today, for the first time at the Olympics, skiers will scamper uphill wearing carpet-like skins on their skis or just their stiff boots, then barrel back down an ungroomed course.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 19 Feb. 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
-
Clinical care often relies on matching a patient’s symptoms against rigid protocols—an environment ideal for automation.—
Hilke Schellmann,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
-
It is composed of images revealing impactful events which, in themselves, are rigid blocks of courage for those who film and those who are filmed.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Takaichi has proposed tougher policies on immigration and foreigners, something that resonates with a growing frustration in Japan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Bryant was tough to stop and scored nine of her 23 points in the first quarter.—
Justin Vigil Zuniga,
Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
It was ruled a Flagrant 1 excessive foul, but not a dangerous Flagrant 2 foul, so Jamerson was not ejected from the game.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Taking vitamin D alongside a multivitamin is generally safe for most people, but understanding dosing, absorption, and potential risks is important to avoid excessive intake.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Yes, Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin strongman, had developed a taste for wielding Russia’s hard power.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The indoor pool and outdoor deck are just around the bend…and equally hard to leave.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the situation at the Ankara State Theater has uncomfortable parallels with the recent shuttering of the Kennedy Center in Washington in response to the artists boycotting it in protest at its rebranding.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The role of any newspaper, especially one with the long and proud legacy of The Sun, is not to smooth over uncomfortable realities in the name of civility.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The voracious reader said that the best books, those that brought him happiness, were not the ones that ease our way in this strange and difficult world.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Local farmers work long hours, often under difficult conditions, to ensure our food supply remains steady.—
Joe Dymek,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Krewes are also known for hosting formal and exclusive masquerade balls.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The hearing is expected to result in the formal exoneration of the four men, who were all in their mid-20s when they were arrested for the murders.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Lyman recalled a massive weekend in Long Beach with 80,000 attendees that resulted in only one arrest—a drunk fan who took Ice-T’s lyrics too literally and started shouting at the police.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
California remains a dairy powerhouse, with one in every five glass of milk drunk in this country coming from California dairy business.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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