as in stiff
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
stiffened corpses an old-fashioned dress with a stiffened lace collar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in strengthened
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
plans to further stiffen the already onerous requirements for admission to the elite military unit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stiffened
Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Apr. 2026
June stiffened, a pillar of ice.
—Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Officials this year have increased restrictions on flying drones and stiffened the penalties for their unauthorized use—including jail time.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
The nail seemed to have expanded and warped and stiffened.
—Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The prime minister’s demeanor stiffened.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
Charles Albert’s attitude toward Austria had stiffened in the years before 1846, and an unavowed toleration was given to the Turin moderates who emphasized the anti-Austrian rather than the constitutional aspects of the Italian problem.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026
After the deputies put him back into the chair, Mitchell’s body stiffened, with his legs straight in front of him and his head lolling back.
—USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
As the Timberwolves’ defense stiffened, their shots finally started falling.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
The journey of King Charles and the Queen consort had been planned for some time, well before relations between the United Kingdom and the United States stiffened due to international tensions, compounded by the assassination attempt on Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
—Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Apr. 2026
June stiffened, a pillar of ice.
—Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Officials this year have increased restrictions on flying drones and stiffened the penalties for their unauthorized use—including jail time.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
The nail seemed to have expanded and warped and stiffened.
—Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
The prime minister’s demeanor stiffened.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
Charles Albert’s attitude toward Austria had stiffened in the years before 1846, and an unavowed toleration was given to the Turin moderates who emphasized the anti-Austrian rather than the constitutional aspects of the Italian problem.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026
After the deputies put him back into the chair, Mitchell’s body stiffened, with his legs straight in front of him and his head lolling back.
—USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
As the Timberwolves’ defense stiffened, their shots finally started falling.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffened
Adjective
-
Common symptoms include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and an altered mental state.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
Researchers also tested the device in gelatin models containing stiff spherical objects designed to mimic tumors hidden beneath tissue.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Like Armenia, Kazakhstan has also strengthened its relationship with Western countries and organizations while slowly distancing itself from the Russian Federation.—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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Its presence has strengthened the country’s military capacity and helped stabilize the regime, at least temporarily, according to Nsaibia.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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Its organic shape offers a bit more structure than the traditional beanbag, without feeling rigid, while the quality leather construction feels sophisticated and high-end.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 May 2026
-
Ana rinsed off the sponge, her shoulders rigid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
That, combined with his previous solid form with AZ in the Netherlands and the 24-year-old’s status as a regular Norway international, should ensure interest.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
The Russian star is coming off a solid bounce-back year, finishing with 19 goals and 42 assists in 56 games.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stiffened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffened. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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