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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tough
difficult to endure stiff winds

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stiff

2 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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stiff

3 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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

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
At the same time, domestic beauty brands are beginning to give international labels stiffer competition. —Jennifer Weil, WWD, 10 Feb. 2025 However, in more severe cases, symptoms can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, per an FDA info page. —Toria Sheffield, People.com, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
Some clients are scared stiff of Trump coming into power, and some [are scared] of the Biden administration. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 July 2024 Popular on Variety These additions — and moments in which ordinary working stiffs are given opportunities to take stage — deepen the critique of the hedonism and cult of celebrity that followed World War I and, it’s suggested, continue to plague us today. —Bob Verini, Variety, 14 June 2024
Verb
The former makes the boot light, precise, and stiff enough to transfer energy from ski to ski. —Stephanie Pearson, Outside Online, 10 Oct. 2024 Kraft stiff armed cornerback Darious Williams at the 30, picked up a big block from wideout Dontayvion Wicks and did the rest on his way to a 66-yard touchdown that gave the Packers a 17-13 lead. —Rob Reischel, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024 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
  • Among the women’s looks featured are the new relaxed trouser, the body contour collection of tops, and 50/50 rigid stretch jeans (with a rigid-front and stretch-back design).
    — Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 7 Feb. 2025
  • As linguists and geneticists continue to untangle the origins of Indo-European languages, one thing is clear—the story of language is one of movement, change and cultural exchange, far from the rigid, nationalist narratives of the past.
    — Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025
Definition of rigid
Adjective
  • Still, the Steelers have some tough decisions to make for their roster, and the team has already made a big one by letting Smith go.
    — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
  • Hot team Playing arguably the toughest schedule in the county, St. Augustine’s boys basketball team started the season 3-12.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • According to Mock, your professional maid service will not have the proper tools to safely remove excessive mold issues.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025
  • Comedian and actress Amy Schumer announced last year that she was diagnosed with the rare hormonal disorder, Cushing’s syndrome, which is characterized by excessive production of cortisol.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 7 Feb. 2025
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • 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
  • Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • Healthy arrogance is a term that makes some people uncomfortable.
    — Dominique Fluker, Essence, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Commenters pointed out that such a request was highly inappropriate and could have put the driver in an uncomfortable or even dangerous situation.
    — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • Nevertheless, the offer could make OpenAI’s reorganization plans more difficult – and significantly more expensive.
    — David Goldman, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
  • The only thing that could make persuading a group of pandemic skeptics to care about an infectious-disease outbreak more difficult is your boss—the president of the United States—undercutting your raison d’être.
    — Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2025
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Thankfully, the museum and interior formal gardens were largely untouched.
    — Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
  • That didn't happen, and ULA is still awaiting the Space Force's formal certification of its new rocket, further pushing out delivery schedules for numerous military satellites booked to fly to orbit on the Vulcan launcher.
    — Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 11 Feb. 2025
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • Instead, the defense argued that Chen fell down while drunk and inflicted her own fatal injuries.
    — Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Officers had responded to the building where Bachmann was teaching after a student complained to a staff member that their professor was drunk.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2025
Definition of drunk

Phrases Containing stiff

Thesaurus Entries Near stiff

sties

stiff

stiff-arm

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on stiff

Nglish: Translation of stiff for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Quiz: Spot More Misspelled Words Can you get all these questions write?