1
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
use a stiff piece of paper for the project
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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1
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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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stiff
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Yet despite the pomp, the service is gracious and warm—more attentive courtier than stiff formality.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025
Al Pacino, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
Yes, the central gimmick of this movie (which is clever) hinges on how the agents and assassins who do the real work are the working-class stiffs who aren't plucked from the Ivy League.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2024
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Yip says features and design elements, everything like a pocket placement to how a jacket may work with gloves—or even how smooth or stiff the zipper sliding action is—is all under consideration when designing.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Adjective
Unlike traditional robots that often move with jerky or stiff motions, Iron walks steadily and can manipulate objects with precision thanks to its human-like hands.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Yet despite the pomp, the service is gracious and warm—more attentive courtier than stiff formality.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
Cookie returned to his post at the bar, where seven or eight working stiffs were lined up, and the two women stood in front of that big, wide window in broad daylight and began passionately kissing.
—Al Pacino, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
Yes, the central gimmick of this movie (which is clever) hinges on how the agents and assassins who do the real work are the working-class stiffs who aren't plucked from the Ivy League.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2024
Verb
The Arctic air will blast across the the Midwest with subzero wind chill temperatures and stiff northwesterly winds, AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Yip says features and design elements, everything like a pocket placement to how a jacket may work with gloves—or even how smooth or stiff the zipper sliding action is—is all under consideration when designing.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for stiff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff
Adjective
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Resilience now comes from adaptive planning, not rigid protocols.—
Toby Wong,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Use 1/4 inch or smaller rigid mesh or wire hardware cloth about 4 feet high.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Jimmie Woods-Gray, a member of the city’s fire commission, said that cutting the Equity Bureau is a necessary step in a tough budget year.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Four times, he’s used it to strikeout hitters, with the horizontal break being tough to pick up.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, excessive rainfall from the weekend storms has led to river and creek flooding in areas south and east of the Kansas City metro.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2025
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Listen to this article The Aurora City Council at a meeting Tuesday is set to consider changes to the parking ordinance that police say will help with the excessive number of commercial vehicles being parked on city roads.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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But unlike climate change, turning it around doesn’t have to be that hard, and the benefits will be felt immediately.—
WIRED,
WIRED,
13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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Because her life does force you to deal with uncomfortable truths about the way this country once worked, and the way certain members of our community did get excluded.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
30 Apr. 2025
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The conversation had turned uncomfortable, leaving a deal that was at the finish line suddenly dead.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
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The transition can be extremely difficult for some.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Or there may be mentorship programs integrated but no formal training mechanisms in place, causing a lack of awareness and understanding, thus leading to unchecked bias and inequities in workplace systems.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Snag casual frocks and formal gowns in floral patterns and pastel hues, with prices starting at $25.—
Emily Weaver,
People.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Occasionally a table will be brought out to suggest another bar, another time, for Elmer to get drunk in and pick a fight, or a safe will be wheeled on stage for the clueless Elmer to try to blow up.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2025
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Ferguson was drunk at the time, according to prosecutors.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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