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 relationships among the cast members, like the narration, feel stiff and false, and the performances on camera have a clocking-in-at-an-office-job vibe. — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 The first symptoms can be severe headache, nausea, vomiting and fever, and later symptoms include stiff neck, seizures and coma, NCDHHS said. — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
This look has the same sophisticated, polished feel of a suit moment without the dedication to stiff layers. — Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026 Xavier Worthy #1 of the Kansas City Chiefs stiff arms Alex Highsmith #56 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium on December 25, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. — Tom Chitty, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
Now the working stiffs are white-collar people. — Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026 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 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
  • The fingers are also built from a combination of rigid and soft materials.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, rigid systems penalize career reinvention or past departures, and fail to create pathways for skilled former employees to return.
    — Sheila Callaham, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of rigid
Adjective
  • Space-grade electronics will cost more, and the ball’s shell—made from a material tough enough to roll over steel shards and withstand minus 184 °C temperatures—has never been evaluated in lunar extremes.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Democratic leaders face tough decisions on where to spend limited party resources to win the Senate majority.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Carrying five tight ends is excessive, so there probably won’t be room for Fidone unless Theo Johnson’s shoulder injury is more serious than initially believed.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Interestingly, patient education level or excessive punctuation had little impact.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • Michael Mankins and Matthew Crupi want value maximization back as the objective, with stakeholder commitments as hard or soft constraints.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Hrgović landed one, two, three hard right hands late in the round.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • Unlike those folks from the other side of the country who fill cold-weather stadiums for bad teams during snowstorms and brag about it, the local sports fans stay away from struggling teams in uncomfortable situations and shrug about it.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This is uncomfortable to implement, because someone in legal, compliance or operations has to sign their name to a permanent record of judgment calls the business used to make quietly and never revisit.
    — Krupesh Bhat, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • The losses linked to the demise of these groups are difficult to quantify, but participants and advocates say the impacts will reverberate across federal agencies for years.
    — Katia Riddle, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Ground surveys can provide more detailed information at a particular site, but covering an entire subway corridor that way would be difficult.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Early acting career Although Turner had no formal training, his raw talent soon caught the eye of several television directors.
    — L. Sue Baugh, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • When the Soviet Union collapsed, NATO lost its formal justification.
    — JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • Eurotrash from Frauke Finsterwalder will have its world premiere in Zurich, the festival confirmed Monday, following a writer called Philipp who embarks with his terminally ill and hopelessly drunk mother, Helene, on a road trip through Switzerland.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This was the context for Justice Brewer’s remarks about Philip sober restraining Philip drunk.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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