as in strengthening
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 stiffening
Volkswagen’s premium Audi brand has lost much of its luster in recent years, dragged down by trade tariffs, stiffening competition and a patchy electric-vehicle roster.
—
William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 8 June 2026
Chronic inflammation damages blood vessels, stiffening them and increasing resistance.
—Jennifer Berger, Verywell Health, 1 June 2026
The machine dryer agitates the clothing and prevents fibers from stiffening during drying, which is why clothing comes out feeling soft.
—Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
These include stiffening of blood vessels, changes in heart muscle function and impaired ability of the cardiovascular system to respond to exertion.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
About the setup In this baseball setup, the robots use soft joints and adaptive control systems to avoid breaking or stiffening up on impact.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025
Look for signs like the cat stopping purring, stiffening, thrashing their tail, or hissing.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Afterwards, a squaring solution—a powdery mixture of water and a gel-like batter used in the decorative cake business—is applied to the inside of the hat’s crown to act as a stiffening agent.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 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
William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 8 June 2026
Chronic inflammation damages blood vessels, stiffening them and increasing resistance.
—Jennifer Berger, Verywell Health, 1 June 2026
The machine dryer agitates the clothing and prevents fibers from stiffening during drying, which is why clothing comes out feeling soft.
—Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
These include stiffening of blood vessels, changes in heart muscle function and impaired ability of the cardiovascular system to respond to exertion.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
About the setup In this baseball setup, the robots use soft joints and adaptive control systems to avoid breaking or stiffening up on impact.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025
Look for signs like the cat stopping purring, stiffening, thrashing their tail, or hissing.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Afterwards, a squaring solution—a powdery mixture of water and a gel-like batter used in the decorative cake business—is applied to the inside of the hat’s crown to act as a stiffening agent.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffening
strengthening
Verb
-
On Wednesday, Raman said her administration would focus on lowering housing costs, protecting renters, reducing homelessness, improving city services, strengthening emergency response systems, supporting small businesses and fighting to retain jobs in the entertainment industry.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
11 June 2026
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The Putah Fire in Yolo County reached 45% containment Wednesday afternoon as firefighters reported no significant new growth and continued strengthening containment lines as red flag conditions moved in, Cal Fire said in an update Wednesday afternoon.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stiffening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffening. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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