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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stiff-arm
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
Lynch also started to go viral for seemingly stiff-arming a Seahawks player who got too close to his camera.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 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
Canada and Denmark currently offer a striking contrast in playbooks for responding to a suddenly hostile U.S. While Incoming Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is taking a stiff-arm tactic for the moment, others are like the Danes and trying to accommodate Trump’s impulses.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
And his actions to stiff-arm Congress by ignoring laws and funding instructions during his 100-day blitz of executive directives have stoked mistrust among Democrats in both chambers.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025
Daniels mustered an escape with a stiff-arm and lateral burst.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2025
Lynch also started to go viral for seemingly stiff-arming a Seahawks player who got too close to his camera.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 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
Canada and Denmark currently offer a striking contrast in playbooks for responding to a suddenly hostile U.S. While Incoming Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is taking a stiff-arm tactic for the moment, others are like the Danes and trying to accommodate Trump’s impulses.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
And his actions to stiff-arm Congress by ignoring laws and funding instructions during his 100-day blitz of executive directives have stoked mistrust among Democrats in both chambers.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 6 Feb. 2025
Daniels mustered an escape with a stiff-arm and lateral burst.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff-arm
Verb
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The drop in attendance in California's Central Valley schools is not isolated.—
Kayla Jimenez,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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The National Weather Service in Nashville said the region is at a slight risk, a two on the five-step scale, for damaging winds, isolated large hail, heavy rains, frequent lightning and a possible tornado.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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There was frost on the inside of the windows, clothes stiff on the floor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Several world leaders have already rejected the plan and insisted that the only solution is the creation of a Palestinian state once Hamas hands over the hostages and a new Palestinian government takes over.—
Michele Chabin,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Shi seemed confident that Strand Larsen, who was keen to join Newcastle United before the deadline, will knuckle down despite Wolves rejecting two bids.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Like Einstein, Brassard feels repulsed by the way the particles in the Bell experiment seem to have firsthand awareness of each other despite being separated by, in principle, light-years of space.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
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This is something that finally repulses Ivor, and that Orla also grapples with.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
27 July 2025
Verb
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Initially lined up outside, Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones quickly cut inside to beat the right tackle.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
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On the northeast of the fire, by Sugar Pine Mountain, crews worked in steep, inaccessible terrain to bring containment lines into the natural rock bluff, trying to cut the fire off south of the Wishon Reservoir for the protection of the critical hydroelectric infrastructure.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Your attitude can repel your crush!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Peppermint, spearmint, and other scented plants in the mint family will repel not only squirrels but other rodents as well.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Unfortunately, the drama from Taylor Sheridan was snubbed by the Emmys this year, though Thornton did score a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Tommy.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
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While the Irish Open was snubbed from this latest National Open status upgrade wave, the golf-mad nation’s key event remains a highlight on the DP World Tour calendar, with venues that as usual stir a bit of wanderlust among golf travelers.—
Mike Dojc,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The negotiations around the three-year deals is complicated due to the fact that MLB is also trying not to slight two of its other rights holders.—
Joe Reedy,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
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Along with Immunis, the competing teams include a biotech company run by his best friend and several longevity clinics that felt slighted by Diamandis’s claims that Fountain Life is superior to its peers.—
Tad Friend,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stiff-arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff-arm. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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