stiffness

noun

Definition of stiffnessnext
as in indifference

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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 stiffness These porous lattice designs consist of repeating three-dimensional networks that provide an ideal balance of stiffness, flexibility, and energy absorption. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026 Sullivan gives her a gaze that can shift in an instant from doe-eyed warmth to dead-eyed menace — and physical fluidity with just a hint of mechanical stiffness and killer strength when threatened. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026 Rest well on the go with the FlyHugz neck pillow, which has 360-degree customizable support that keeps your head upright, reducing neck strain and stiffness. — ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 This is the after effect of the migraine attack where people often feel neck stiffness, dizziness, fatigue and mental fog. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 30 July 2026 Arthritis primarily affects the joints and connective tissues, causing pain, inflammation, stiffness and structural damage, per the CDC. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026 Symptoms include tremors, stiffness, difficulty balancing and slowness of movement. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 27 July 2026 The severe strain of the virus often presents as a fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, or paralysis. — Mary Ella Hastings july 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026 Understanding how fascia and the lymphatic system change with age offers new insight into why stiffness, slower recovery, mobility, and resilience don't look or feel the same for everyone. — Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffness
  1. indifference
  2. unconcern
  3. deadness
  4. hardness
  5. aloofness
  6. coldness
Noun
  • The parents were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in separate trials after prosecutors presented evidence of an unsecured gun at their home and their indifference toward their son's mental health.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • Absent communication often leads to assumptions of indifference or disrespect, eroding trust and fostering hostility.
    — Alejandro Cárdenas Villa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of indifference
Noun
  • The book’s occasional oases of self-examination are surrounded by dusty expanses of omission and unconcern.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
  • Whatever the reason, Maxwell’s strength and the shark’s apparent unconcern put one of Maxwell’s friends in danger.
    — Donald Millus, Outdoor Life, 3 July 2025
Definition of unconcern
Noun
  • Did the baby’s livingness make Tomm’s deadness louder?
    — Maria Zorn, Longreads, 24 Feb. 2026
  • There is, in the end, a deadness to its clichés about writers and their subjects.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Definition of deadness
Noun
  • The Army therefore needs materials with approximately the same electromagnetic properties as those tissues, not just the same weight, hardness, or softness.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
  • On the Mohs scale of hardness, which runs from 1 to 10, andesite is a 7, similar to quartz and more resistant than a steel nail.
    — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 23 July 2026
Definition of hardness
Noun
  • What the rise of 'chalance' says about dating People have equated aloofness with coolness since long before the internet came around.
    — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 29 June 2026
  • My fear manifested as aloofness.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
Definition of aloofness
Noun
  • Orris adds earthy depth, while a petrichor accord gives the scent an eerie coldness.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 15 July 2026
  • In this attitude was a strange commingling of repugnance and desire, alienation and belonging, intimacy and coldness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
Definition of coldness

Browse Nearby Words

stiff-necked
stiffness
stiffs
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Cite this Entry

“Stiffness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffness. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stiffness

Nglish: Translation of stiffness for Spanish Speakers

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