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
Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
In addition to adjustable dampers, the Lyriq-V boasts a lowered suspension with components stiffened 10% to 600% from the base Lyriq, which was already a sporty and responsive SUV.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Lane picked up three on first down, but the Otay Ranch defense stiffened, turning back the next two runs for no gain.
—Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
In addition to adjustable dampers, the Lyriq-V boasts a lowered suspension with components stiffened 10% to 600% from the base Lyriq, which was already a sporty and responsive SUV.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffened
Adjective
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The company is facing stiff opposition from dozens of California nonprofits, labor unions, and philanthropies as well as investigations from both the California and Delaware attorney generals.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
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With the competition stiffer than ever, 26 people dropped off The Forbes 400 this year, including the cofounder and former CEO of Uber Travis Kalanick and wellness products billionaire Frank VanderSloot, both of whom saw their fortunes hold steady while others passed them by.—
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The past month has renewed conversations about home rule, which many Democrats believe should be strengthened.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
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These examples show that more protections need to be established and strengthened, advocates say.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But these charmingly casual houses, many of them centuries old, come with a rigid spatial order that is antithetical to modern lifestyles.—
Joseph Giovannini,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
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Market/compete If adhocracy is all about taking risks, and celebrating that effort even in failure, market/compete is much more rigid — the bottom line takes precedence.—
Julia Sullivan,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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These are available in five sizes, along with plenty of fun patterns, solid colors, and an all-black pack.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
6 Sep. 2025
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Nina Energy turns scraps into solid biofuels and biochar.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stiffened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffened. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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