1
a
: not easily bent : rigid
a stiff collar
b
: lacking in suppleness or flexibility
stiff muscles
c
: impeded in movement
—used of a mechanism
a truck's stiff suspension
d
2
3
: hard fought
stiff competition
4
5
: of a dense or glutinous consistency : thick
7
: not easily heeled over by an external force (such as the wind)
a stiff ship
stiffed; stiffing; stiffs
1
a
: to refuse to pay or tip
stiffed the waiter
b
: cheat
stiffed him in a business deal
c
: stick sense 7a
stiffed us with the bar bill
2
: snub sense 3
stiffed sportswriters after the game
: to fail commercially
the movie stiffed at the box office
Synonyms
Examples of stiff in a Sentence
Adjective
When I got out of bed this morning my back was stiff as a board.
Beat the egg whites until they are stiff.
Noun
That poor stiff never gets a break.
They have the kind of luxuries the average working stiff can't afford.
Verb
the actress has a reputation for stiffing the press at red-carpet events
Recent Examples on the Web
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
Take two sheets of paper, or a stiff notecard, and use a thumbtack to poke a smooth round hole in the middle.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
For example, local businesses in cities with large projects (such as Phoenix or New Albany, Ohio) may boom, while companies in almost any industry nationwide could face stiffer competition for tech-literate employees.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2024
These shoes also have a very stiff sole that can be off-putting.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 5 Apr. 2024
His fingers were stiff, his hands were stiff, his arms were stiff.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Though the 1930s woman may have used a pliable girdle to smooth things out, this was not your Victorian-esque paper maché stiff waist snatcher.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
Under the bill, unauthorized uses would be subject to stiff penalties and lawsuits would be able to be brought by any person or group whose exclusive rights were impacted.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024
Employers paying under $20 an hour will likely face stiffer competition for workers.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 31 Mar. 2023
The Amityville demon jumps from the single mom into (stock footage of) a bear, a stiff-looking CGI shark, and the internet, always jumping back to its host.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 19 July 2022
Safety Peyton Bowen jettisoned Notre Dame for Oregon, quarterback Dante Moore stiff-armed the Ducks for UCLA and offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor left home-state Iowa in the cold after a late push from Alabama.
—Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2022
The former Patriot made the clean catch, turned, stiff-armed Patriots quarterback Mac Jones into middle earth and sprinted for the game-ending touchdown.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2022
Over nearly two centuries, the herbivore has been imagined as a spike-nosed lummox, inappropriate kangaroo and now, at last, a stiff-tailed, mostly quadrupedal animal.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones intercepted the throw, stiff-armed quarterback Mac Jones — the only obstacle between him and the end zone — and ran 48 yards for the walkoff touchdown.
—Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Dec. 2022
On the 74-yarder, Robinson scooted around right end, stiff-armed a defender, reached the second level, made three cutback moves and darted off to the end zone.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2022
Brandon Collwes running stiff-legged, Kennedy Adams hopping backward, Mariah Anton rolling furiously on and off stage.
—Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Oct. 2022
Huntley Woods, EW.com, 20 Oct. 2023
And calling Astra's competition stiff is definitely an understatement.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 21 Aug. 2023
Being bored stiff by a PowerPoint presentation has become a right of passage in corporate life.
—Greg Orme, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
That would be longtime best friend Dr. Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham), also a psychiatrist, now considered highly dangerous due to her association with the aforementioned stiff.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 Oct. 2023
But that working stiff had at least tried to return it to the world, with some help, of course, from the ice cream king of Waterville, Maine.
—Dan Barry, BostonGlobe.com, 17 June 2023
Isis, apparently, appealed to Rome’s elite, but Mithras was the god of choice for working stiffs and battle-hardened legionnaires (the cult excluded women).
—David Laskin Martin Pauer, New York Times, 1 May 2023
The Sooners aren’t bringing in a stiff.
—Nick Canepa Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2021
What to Consider: The material is a little stiff, which affects the overall comfort.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2023
Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024
This from somebody who habitually stiffs employees, contractors, lawyers; who owes millions in unpaid bills.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024
In addition, the agreement addresses stiff opposition against building a courthouse in the middle that has been envisioned for years as a new residential neighborhood just south of Bushnell Park.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 17 Jan. 2024
At the same time, Mr. Johnson is under increasing pressure from some ultraconservatives in the House to reject any spending agreement unless Mr. Biden and congressional Democrats agree to stiff new controls to restrict the flow of migrants across the southern border.
—Carl Hulse, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2024
Soon, this progresses to stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations and coma.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 3 Oct. 2023
In a large chilled bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together egg whites with sugar and cream of tartar to make a fluffy meringue, stiff enough to form peaks.
4.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2023
Some Los Angeles service workers have lashed out against their employers for using such fees as an excuse to stiff workers.
—Carly Olson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2023
Frazier, the young Kentucky Republican activist, said it's never been wise to bet against McConnell, a Polio survivor, and that most believe in his judgment to stiff arm calls to step down by opponents, even within the national GOP ranks.
—Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, 11 Aug. 2023
Adjective
Thanks to these modifications, which also included stiffer dampers, the car can sprint from zero to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 209 mph.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
Take two sheets of paper, or a stiff notecard, and use a thumbtack to poke a smooth round hole in the middle.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
For example, local businesses in cities with large projects (such as Phoenix or New Albany, Ohio) may boom, while companies in almost any industry nationwide could face stiffer competition for tech-literate employees.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2024
These shoes also have a very stiff sole that can be off-putting.
—Jessica Booth, Parents, 5 Apr. 2024
His fingers were stiff, his hands were stiff, his arms were stiff.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Though the 1930s woman may have used a pliable girdle to smooth things out, this was not your Victorian-esque paper maché stiff waist snatcher.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
Under the bill, unauthorized uses would be subject to stiff penalties and lawsuits would be able to be brought by any person or group whose exclusive rights were impacted.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024
Employers paying under $20 an hour will likely face stiffer competition for workers.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Adverb
The 45,000-piece collection of stiff-looking Trumps in a variety of poses and costumes—like the one shown above—have seen a 445% increase in sales, about $186,000, over the past 24 hours, according to CryptoSlam.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 31 Mar. 2023
The Amityville demon jumps from the single mom into (stock footage of) a bear, a stiff-looking CGI shark, and the internet, always jumping back to its host.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 19 July 2022
Safety Peyton Bowen jettisoned Notre Dame for Oregon, quarterback Dante Moore stiff-armed the Ducks for UCLA and offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor left home-state Iowa in the cold after a late push from Alabama.
—Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2022
The former Patriot made the clean catch, turned, stiff-armed Patriots quarterback Mac Jones into middle earth and sprinted for the game-ending touchdown.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2022
Over nearly two centuries, the herbivore has been imagined as a spike-nosed lummox, inappropriate kangaroo and now, at last, a stiff-tailed, mostly quadrupedal animal.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones intercepted the throw, stiff-armed quarterback Mac Jones — the only obstacle between him and the end zone — and ran 48 yards for the walkoff touchdown.
—Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Dec. 2022
On the 74-yarder, Robinson scooted around right end, stiff-armed a defender, reached the second level, made three cutback moves and darted off to the end zone.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2022
Brandon Collwes running stiff-legged, Kennedy Adams hopping backward, Mariah Anton rolling furiously on and off stage.
—Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Oct. 2022
Noun
The Thing is one of those rare sci-fi horrors that stands the test of time due to its suspenseful pacing and its groundbreaking practical effects by Rob Bottin, leaving you both frozen and scared stiff.
—Huntley Woods, EW.com, 20 Oct. 2023
And calling Astra's competition stiff is definitely an understatement.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 21 Aug. 2023
Being bored stiff by a PowerPoint presentation has become a right of passage in corporate life.
—Greg Orme, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
That would be longtime best friend Dr. Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham), also a psychiatrist, now considered highly dangerous due to her association with the aforementioned stiff.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 Oct. 2023
But that working stiff had at least tried to return it to the world, with some help, of course, from the ice cream king of Waterville, Maine.
—Dan Barry, BostonGlobe.com, 17 June 2023
Isis, apparently, appealed to Rome’s elite, but Mithras was the god of choice for working stiffs and battle-hardened legionnaires (the cult excluded women).
—David Laskin Martin Pauer, New York Times, 1 May 2023
The Sooners aren’t bringing in a stiff.
—Nick Canepa Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2021
What to Consider: The material is a little stiff, which affects the overall comfort.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2023
Verb
Editorial: Shame on FEMA for trying to stiff L.A. for millions spent on a pandemic homeless program.
—Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024
This from somebody who habitually stiffs employees, contractors, lawyers; who owes millions in unpaid bills.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024
In addition, the agreement addresses stiff opposition against building a courthouse in the middle that has been envisioned for years as a new residential neighborhood just south of Bushnell Park.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 17 Jan. 2024
At the same time, Mr. Johnson is under increasing pressure from some ultraconservatives in the House to reject any spending agreement unless Mr. Biden and congressional Democrats agree to stiff new controls to restrict the flow of migrants across the southern border.
—Carl Hulse, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2024
Soon, this progresses to stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations and coma.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 3 Oct. 2023
In a large chilled bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together egg whites with sugar and cream of tartar to make a fluffy meringue, stiff enough to form peaks.
4.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2023
Some Los Angeles service workers have lashed out against their employers for using such fees as an excuse to stiff workers.
—Carly Olson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2023
Frazier, the young Kentucky Republican activist, said it's never been wise to bet against McConnell, a Polio survivor, and that most believe in his judgment to stiff arm calls to step down by opponents, even within the national GOP ranks.
—Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, 11 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stiff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stiff
Cite this Entry
“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stiff. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stiff
1 of 3 adjective1
a
: not easily bent : rigid
b
: not easily moved
stiff muscles
stiff valves
2
a
: marked by moral courage
b
: not easy or graceful in manner
3
: hard fought
a stiff fight
4
a
: exerting great force : strong
a stiff wind
b
: potent sense 2b
a stiff dose
5
: not flowing easily : thick
beat egg whites until stiff
6
a
: harsh sense 3, severe
a stiff penalty
b
: rugged
stiff terrain
7
: expensive sense 2, steep
a stiff price
stiffly
adverb
stiffness
noun
stiff
2 of 3 adverb1
: in a stiff manner
2
: to a stiff state or condition
frozen stiff
3
: to an extreme degree
bored stiff
Medical Definition
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