stiff 1 of 3

adjective

ˈstif How to pronounce stiff (audio)
Definition of stiffnext
1
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending use a stiff piece of paper for the project

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2
as in tough
difficult to endure stiff winds

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3
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount don't you think that's a pretty stiff fine for such a minor infraction?

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4
as in hard
having a consistency that does not easily yield to pressure stir two cups of flour with the remaining ingredients to make a stiff dough

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5
as in uncomfortable
lacking social grace and assurance felt stiff and ill-at-ease whenever she was introduced to her parents' friends

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6
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort we'll have a stiff climb to actually reach the summit

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7
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details the stiff politeness with which I was greeted suggested that they weren't truly happy to see me

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8
as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol seeing that the customer was more than a little stiff, the bartender offered to call a cab for him

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stiff

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to cut
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely the actress has a reputation for stiffing the press at red-carpet events

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2
as in to squeeze
to rob by the use of trickery or threats customers who were too embarrassed to admit that they had been stiffed by an Internet company claiming to sell designer handbags

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stiff

3 of 3

noun

1
as in corpse
a dead body to the mortician, a stiff was a stiff and they were all pretty much alike

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2
as in person
a member of the human race one lucky stiff will get the biggest jackpot in the lottery's history

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word stiff distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words inflexible and rigid are common synonyms of stiff. While all three words mean "difficult to bend," stiff may apply to any degree of this condition.

stretching keeps your muscles from becoming stiff

In what contexts can inflexible take the place of stiff?

The meanings of inflexible and stiff largely overlap; however, inflexible stresses lack of suppleness or pliability.

ski boots with inflexible soles

When would rigid be a good substitute for stiff?

In some situations, the words rigid and stiff are roughly equivalent. However, rigid applies to something so stiff that it cannot be bent without breaking.

a rigid surfboard

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 stiff
Adjective
The Paradigm 8 also tackles stability without causing that unnaturally stiff sensation. — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026 Democrats, neurotic from decades of defeat, are wringing their hands as usual, saying Jolly is too stiff on stage, too wonkish, not funny enough. — Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026
Verb
Say goodbye to stiff towels with these tips for how to make towels soft again. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 Jan. 2026 When your sugar mixture reaches 230°F, begin beating your egg whites to firm peak stage; egg whites will hold their shape but not quite to stiff peak stage. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
The bar remains a point of pride, originally a place where patrons made their own drinks and now a place where bartenders mix the stiff, old‑school cocktails. — Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 20 Mar. 2026 Trixies is a song cycle centering on a mythical bar and its working class stiffs and gangsters that’s one-part Cheers, the other The Untouchables. — Jason Pettigrew, SPIN, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stiff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff
  1. rigid
  2. tough
  3. excessive
  4. hard
  5. uncomfortable
  6. difficult
  7. formal
  8. drunk
Adjective
  • Similarly, relying on a single, rigid path for payments is no longer enough, and alternative routes must be available.
    — Moshe Kimhi, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The ferry, Edghill said, was fitted with 250 life jackets, two rigid life rafts and six inflatable life rafts.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
Definition of rigid
Adjective
  • White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
  • The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.
    — Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Treatment methods Before prescribing TRT, doctors generally look for potentially reversible or temporary factors, including obesity, certain medications, untreated obstructive sleep apnea, acute illness and excessive alcohol use.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
  • Used thoughtfully, such tools can help organizations identify patterns associated with burnout, including staffing imbalances, unsustainable workloads, excessive overtime or workflow bottlenecks.
    — Jennifer Lee, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • Essentially a rock has met a hard place – at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Remember, all this hard work to discover all these things has been done in the midst of designing a ballroom, cleaning up the reflecting pool and a host of other busy things the president and his administration have been doing.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • Then, in his most recent outing against the Angels, Skubal dominated for seven shutout innings, a forceful reminder of the ability that led him to this uncomfortable precipice.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Abi Adamson, author of Culture Blooming (the Substack and book) starts somewhere more uncomfortable.
    — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • Unlike dogs, they cannot simply be taken on longer walks, often resist dietary changes, and can be difficult to medicate consistently, making GLP-1 therapies potentially attractive if clinical trials prove successful.
    — Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
  • Their stories recount the devastation to homes and businesses, life in temporary shelters, and the difficult process of rebuilding or relocating.
    — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Washington responded by turning its assurance into a formal guarantee, though one signed as an executive order a successor can revoke.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • Anderson’s neighbors, Matt and Laurel Nelson, needed to meet that threshold to move the case to a formal hearing on their complaint against the county manager.
    — Reed Williams, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • The victims’ families believe Trost, who had been returning from a restaurant when the crash occurred, was drunk at the time.
    — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
  • These days, noisy, drunk, barely dressed visitors holiday hard in condos that have been converted into vacation rentals.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of drunk

Phrases Containing stiff

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sties
stiff
stiff-arm
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Cite this Entry

“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stiff

Nglish: Translation of stiff for Spanish Speakers

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