as in strengthens
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 stiffens
For seven-and-a-half years, Ladd had dealt with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive lung disease that stiffens and scars the lungs.
—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
24 June 2026
To execute its ruthless 66-pound weight loss program, the rear seats have been completely deleted, replaced by a massive structural strut brace that significantly stiffens the chassis.
—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Golden State’s schedule stiffens with an upcoming trip to New York and Indiana.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
The rings arise because the metal softens as the can compresses, then stiffens, then compresses and stiffens again, repeating the pattern until the compression is complete—akin to something called homoclinic snaking.
—
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Will these Knicks stick to the process when the competition stiffens in the second round?
—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
The men’s Run 900 Ultra Black Shorts feature integrated Rheon technology, a reactive polymer that remains soft at rest but stiffens under pressure.
—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2026
The woman—Rose, apparently—stiffens slightly.
—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Moving the kink to one end makes that side soft and the opposite end stiff; placing it at the center softens the middle and stiffens both edges.
—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
24 June 2026
To execute its ruthless 66-pound weight loss program, the rear seats have been completely deleted, replaced by a massive structural strut brace that significantly stiffens the chassis.
—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Golden State’s schedule stiffens with an upcoming trip to New York and Indiana.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
The rings arise because the metal softens as the can compresses, then stiffens, then compresses and stiffens again, repeating the pattern until the compression is complete—akin to something called homoclinic snaking.
—
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Will these Knicks stick to the process when the competition stiffens in the second round?
—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
The men’s Run 900 Ultra Black Shorts feature integrated Rheon technology, a reactive polymer that remains soft at rest but stiffens under pressure.
—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2026
The woman—Rose, apparently—stiffens slightly.
—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Moving the kink to one end makes that side soft and the opposite end stiff; placing it at the center softens the middle and stiffens both edges.
—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffens
strengthens
Verb
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Here is what the research says about why crafting together strengthens couples, and which hands-on classes deliver the strongest payoff.
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Agility further strengthens its operations through ownership of key hardware technologies and a domestic supply chain, with approximately 75 percent of Digit’s components sourced within the US.
Cite this Entry
“Stiffens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffens. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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