as in to strengthen
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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Recent Examples of stiffen
In a similar way, a man who is defiant stiffens his neck, squares his shoulders, lowers his brows, and clenches his fists with his knuckles forward.
—
Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
The heart muscle may have thickened slightly, and arteries have likely stiffened, which can raise blood pressure.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
China has been a consistent source of stress for Apple, given the stiffening smartphone competition and its huge manufacturing presence in the country.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
Despite herself, Cali stiffened.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stiffen
Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
The heart muscle may have thickened slightly, and arteries have likely stiffened, which can raise blood pressure.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
China has been a consistent source of stress for Apple, given the stiffening smartphone competition and its huge manufacturing presence in the country.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
Despite herself, Cali stiffened.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stiffen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffen
strengthen
Verb
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Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Sunday that Kyiv was working closely with the White House to strengthen its defensive capabilities, including its long-range capabilities.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
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Oakland voters, meanwhile, overwhelmingly favored establishing the commission in 2016 and strengthening its authority in 2020.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stiffen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffen. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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