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

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

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

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

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 shimmery finish, elegant pleats, and vibrant green hue of the Wanluosuz Satin Silk Pants channel European summer vibes without the stiff, restrictive feel that most commonly comes from dressier trousers. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2026 The law, signed Wednesday, requires twice-yearly certifications, faster remediation and stiffer penalties for violations. — Elijah Westbrook, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
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 Say goodbye to stiff towels with these tips for how to make towels soft again. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 Jan. 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
  • November 22 – December 21 Fresh laughter loosens rigid thinking and plans.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Fresh laughter loosens rigid thinking and plans.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of rigid
Adjective
  • Coventry, for example, face Manchester City away in Gameweek Three, while some of the teams worth targeting early like Manchester United, Chelsea and Sunderland have tougher fixtures in Gameweeks Three or Four.
    — Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • This summer has seen a confluence of challenges, including excessive heat that allows food contamination to grow and a pathogen that’s particularly tough to pin down.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • San Francisco police officers would then proceed to smash the driver's window, drag the driver out and pepper-spray him — actions that a San Francisco Department of Police Accountability (DPA) report states were excessive.
    — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Even as the busy restaurant bar reaches blatantly excessive noise levels even before Ninh’s fully done with his equipment, neighboring businesses are already having their patience tested.
    — Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • Certainly Larimore is pointing out that hard times lead to hard truths and hard decisions.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Perseus Rising in the northeast after dark, Perseus is not the easiest constellation to make sense of, but its rich star fields are hard to miss.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • It’s also designed to sit right at your natural waist, so no uncomfortable fidgeting here.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Cody pointed out the woman who had taken up an uncomfortable perch on a barstool.
    — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncomfortable
Adjective
  • The shortcomings of Usman and Dvalishvili, future Hall of Famers, only point to how difficult the historic mark was to reach.
    — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The Teamsters have been enthusiastically endorsing the bill specifically because, while 40-something employers would be difficult to collectively bargain against, DSP workers would be much easier to organize once within Amazon.
    — Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Diplomatic efforts today too often grant the Taliban a formal place at the table while limiting contact with Afghan women to informal consultations.
    — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Between now and then, there is much parsing of the 16-track album’s rich content to be done, with millions of words of formal and informal think-pieces to come.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • Ormund, who has spent the entirety of the battle looking for Ulf, finally finds the dragonseed passed out in the latrine after a morning spent in Lord Footly’s kitchen getting drunk on the Footly stores of ale.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • After being publicly humiliated by Daemon Targaryen and lured to switch sides (with his dragon) to the Greens by Ormund Hightower, party animal Ulf is still drunk and MIA when the battle starts.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of drunk

Phrases Containing stiff

Browse Nearby Words

sties
stiff
stiff-arm
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All