stiffened 1 of 2

adjective

as in stiff
incapable of or highly resistant to bending stiffened corpses an old-fashioned dress with a stiffened lace collar

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stiffened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of stiffen
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stiffened
Verb
The Chiefs’ defense stiffened and Indy faced a fourth-and-8 from the 15-yard line. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 But after a quick touchdown drive to take a 34-27 lead, the Oregon defense stiffened, and closed out the win with back-to-back stops. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026 Bile rose in Evie’s throat and her body stiffened under his touch. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 The possible move, unthinkable for legacy studios but in keeping with exits by businesses in other sectors, has only stiffened opposition to the merger in some corners. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026 Dogs that have stiffened up with age get an advanced joint-support chew with glucosamine, MSM, and collagen. — Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 17 July 2026 Graham's aorta, at 71, tore, a dissection along a wall stiffened by decades of what the medical examiner called arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026 Pulisic played a dynamic first half in the Americans' historic 4-1 victory over Paraguay to open their home World Cup nearly two weeks ago, but the AC Milan midfielder came off at halftime after an injury from training stiffened up. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 The moose flinched and stiffened. — Fred Bear, Outdoor Life, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffened
  1. stiff
  2. strengthened
  3. rigid
  4. solid
Adjective
  • However, further Houthi offensives have met stiffer resistance from the recuperated forces of the Presidential Leadership Council, depriving the group of another quick victory.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Everywhere are cosseting details like stiffer mounting bushes and extra damping bars.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of stiff
Verb
  • With more housing near transit comes less reliance on cars, more pedestrian-friendly development, cleaner air and strengthened commercial corridors.
    — Bennett Lawson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The programme’s delivery schedule was strengthened earlier this year through a contractual amendment between Fincantieri and OCCAR.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of strengthened
Adjective
  • Though the idea proved nearly impossible to fully realize, the concept of a more fluid, non-rigid weaving style became central to Wiener’s practice.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Enforcing rigid standards prematurely—as early Space Development Agency (SDA) mandates demonstrated—can freeze sub-optimal designs and throttle rapid tech iteration.
    — Rohit Jha, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of rigid
Adjective
  • Some really solid casting there in evoking, but not mimicking, either Faist or Abbott.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • For dinner, there are five solid options, each with its own distinct menu and mood.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of solid

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stiffen
stiffened
stiffening
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Cite this Entry

“Stiffened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffened. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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