How to Use stiff in a Sentence

stiff

1 of 4 adjective

• Beat the egg whites until they are stiff.
• When I got out of bed this morning my back was stiff as a board.
• But Take Note: The fabric is on the stiffer side and can stain.
  — Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 7 July 2023
• Typically, the longer the term of the CD, the stiffer the penalty.
  — Steve Garmhausen, wsj.com, 13 Oct. 2023
• These shoes also have a very stiff sole that can be off-putting.
  — Jessica Booth, Parents, 5 Apr. 2024
• Gout is a form of arthritis that causes swollen and stiff joints.
  — Anne Harding, Health, 25 Aug. 2023
• Next, use a stiff brush to scrub the mattress to dislodge any bedbugs or eggs from the seams.
  — Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 20 Oct. 2023
• During the display flight the bird climbs, the wings are smartly cracked like a whiplash, and the bird glides down on stiff wings.
  — Hazlitt, 8 Nov. 2023
• But the current war with Hamas might be its stiffest challenge yet.
  — TIME, 24 Oct. 2023
• His fingers were stiff, his hands were stiff, his arms were stiff.
  — Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
• The spring rates are also said to be slightly softer in the front and slightly stiffer in the rear.
  — Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 26 Apr. 2023
• What Could Be Better The handle’s neck can be a bit stiff when trying to steer the mop head.
  — Jenna Clark, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2023
• Hazel is digging through Potomac clay, which is kind of like a very stiff Play-Doh.
  — Ricky Carioti, Washington Post, 7 July 2023
• The frother makes stiff, warm milk, which may not be ideal for those who like more foamy lattes.
  — Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023
• View Photos The stiff tires also show up the lack of structural rigidity in the body.
  — Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 16 Apr. 2023
• Clayton said with a laugh when asked about how stiff the headwinds will be in those races.
  — Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2024
• The wrinkles practically came out in a single pass, even on linen, the stiffest of the set.
  — Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 9 July 2023
• The shell is stiff and leathery, requiring a bit of sawing to open.
  — Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 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
• What to Consider The fabric might feel slightly stiff on the first few wears.
  — Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2023
• The Clippers play their next three games on the road, two of them against stiff competition.
  — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024
• Six-pound test line stretches a lot, and a light-action rod isn't stiff enough to yank out the stretch when a fish hits at the end of a long cast.
  — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2023
• But painful, swollen, or stiff joints may be causes for concern.
  — Dr. Roshini Raj, Health, 9 Feb. 2024
• Above ground, the Israeli soldiers who reached the city Monday evening have encountered some of the stiffest fighting of the war.
  — Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2023
• Winning the election was easy; stiffer challenges lie ahead.
  — Timothy Frye, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2024
• Add the agave and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form, 2–3 minutes, then beat in the cinnamon.
  — Lois Ellen Frank and Walter Whitewater, Saveur, 22 Nov. 2023
• This means the shoes mold to your feet without being stiff and unbendable.
  — Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2023
• These are a fan-favorite update from the Trail Glove 6, which has a slightly stiffer and more structured build.
  — Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024
• Frothed milk can be cold or warm and produces stiffer, larger bubbles.
  — Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 16 Oct. 2023
• And unlike other backpacks that are stiff and awkward to store, this one folds down.
  — Sarah Kester, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2023

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stiff

2 of 4 adverb

• Henry stiff-armed Thomas twice on the play, turning the safety around.
  — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, 23 Aug. 2020
• He stiff-armed rookie Jon Greenard and then spun away from Keion Crossen and into the end zone.
  — Mark Long, orlandosentinel.com, 8 Nov. 2020
• Montgomery made some nice cuts and stiff-armed Duron Harmon.
  — Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2020
• The Tide lost contain on the outside for the follow-up play as Sanders ran 26 yards and stiff-armed a referee at the end of it.
  — Nick Alvarez | [e-mail], al, 1 Oct. 2022
• He stiff-armed Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. to the dirt and raced down the right sideline with ease.
  — Ellis L. Williams, cleveland, 11 Oct. 2021
• Once steadied, Cook bounced outside and then stiff-armed a cornerback out of his way at the 3-yard line to create a path to the end zone.
  — Star Tribune, 4 Oct. 2020
• The working stiff inside us doesn’t blame Midnight Mel for taking the money and running.
  — Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2020
• Mariota has heard a lot from friends and fans on how he stiff-armed Jaguars safety Barry Church.
  — USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2018
• At the 13-yard line, Hill juked a third defender, cut sharply to his left to beat a defensive back to the edge and stiff-armed his way into the end zone to score a go-ahead touchdown.
  — Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 26 Sep. 2020
• Odds lean toward the world stiff-arming the virus or finding a vaccine long before a single ticket is sold.
  — San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2020
• But so far Brill has gotten stiff-armed by social media platforms.
  — Jeffrey M. O'Brien, Fortune, 2 June 2022
• Her John Wayne gallops stiff-backed on an elongated red carousel pony, a silver six-shooter held high.
  — New York Times, 27 Apr. 2022
• Ember Moon may or may not have potatoed Indi Hartwell with a stiff-looking forearm.
  — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 5 May 2021
• Thomas drew a loud response from the crowd after breaking loose for a 28-yard carry and stiff-arming an opponent late in the third quarter.
  — J.c. Carnahan, orlandosentinel.com, 20 Aug. 2021
• Though aging and wheelchair-bound, the President was every bit as gritty and stiff-spined as Hamilton had been.
  — Robert Hockett, Forbes, 1 May 2022
• American consumers and workers aren’t the only ones being stiff-armed.
  — William N. Walker and Stanton D. Anderson, WSJ, 4 Jan. 2022
• Late in the third quarter, Sanders caught a pass near the sideline, juked one defender and stiff-armed another to complete a 32-yard scoring pass from Henigan.
  — Greg Riddle, Dallas News, 26 Sep. 2020
• Cooke tried to shepherd the Tarleton State alum towards the sideline about four yards from paydirt, but Speed stuck out a strong right arm, protected the ball like a running back and stiff-armed Cooke out of the way.
  — Andy Yamashita, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Nov. 2021
• Then on the second offensive possession for Texas, Robinson deked and stiff-armed his way to another big gain.
  — Marcus Krum, Dallas News, 7 Nov. 2020
• Doyle countered that Lewis had donned stiff-looking gloves and a helmet before his group approached the bar patio merely for protection from the sun.
  — oregonlive, 20 July 2022
• In recent weeks, the state has been protected by a strong Bermuda high, a zone of high pressure that has stiff-armed storms into the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
  — David Fleshler, sun-sentinel.com, 3 Sep. 2020
• Dogs go through stages in their life, just as people do, as is obvious to anyone who has watched their stiff-legged companion rouse themselves to go for one more walk.
  — James Gorman, Star Tribune, 14 Nov. 2020
• Yet even facing the opposite direction, Henry’s left arm outstretched and stiff-armed away the tackler.
  — Michael McCleary, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Nov. 2020
• He was adept at running to the edge, stiff-arming opposing defenders and making vertical plays.
  — Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 8 Jan. 2022
• The Pistons were also without Reggie Jackson (stiff back) on Saturday.
  — Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press, 27 Oct. 2019
• But the junior from Nevada stiff-armed any notion of relinquishing his starting role by responding with the kind of steely toughness reserved for winners.
  — Michael Cohen, Detroit Free Press, 9 Oct. 2021
• That’s piling up postseason wins, stiff-arming adversity and grinding through against the best mound minders in baseball.
  — San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2021
• And the effort required to lope stiff-legged across the powdery surface guzzled the air and cooling water in his backpack, limiting his time outside the relative safety of the lunar module.
  — Outside Online, 23 June 2021
• On a 68-yard run early in the fourth quarter against Michigan State, Littleton sped down the left sideline, stiff-armed a defender to the ground, then pushed off another before being taken down at the Spartans’ 2-yard line.
  — Ryan McFadden, Baltimore Sun, 6 Oct. 2022
• Since Harbaugh began stiff-arming the Michigan beat writers in the nascent stages of the offseason, the storylines attached to his program have changed dramatically.
  — Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press, 8 July 2020

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stiff

3 of 4 noun

• That poor stiff never gets a break.
• They have the kind of luxuries the average working stiff can't afford.
• The next challenger received a stiff-arm to the helmet and a shove to the turf.
  — Nick Moyle, ExpressNews.com, 9 Nov. 2020
• Maybe she isn't wired like the rest of us grinders and working stiffs.
  — Author: Wayne and Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Feb. 2020
• The animal had a stiff and firm tail, that was thick at the base.
  — Fox News, 22 Oct. 2019
• Man, put your arm out and stiff-arm that little guy off of you, man.
  — Ben Flanagan | [e-mail], al, 20 Sep. 2021
• Next, use a nylon stiff-bristle scrub brush to scrub off the stains.
  — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 18 Jan. 2021
• And would his stiff-armed putting stroke work on lightning greens?
  — Star Tribune, 21 Sep. 2020
• One tester found the fabric stiff, and the comforter comes only in white.
  — Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping, 8 July 2022
• Mixon attempted a cut and a stiff-arm on the star safety.
  — Charlie Goldsmith, The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2022
• Like the 1460s, these oxfords have a lace-up design and the stiff, takes-time-to-wear-in leather that Dr. Martens is known for.
  — Olivia Muenter, Peoplemag, 4 Nov. 2022
• The traditional stiff-arm salute was dropped in the 1940s in favor of the hand over the heart to avoid analogies to the Nazi salute.
  — New York Times, 2 Apr. 2022
• With dull brown eyes and a helmet of white hair, the 63-year-old Brooks has a stiff, dorky countenance and an abrupt style.
  — Molly Ball, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2017
• First up is a magnesium mid-frame, which should make the phone extra stiff.
  — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 19 Oct. 2017
• Mitchell led the stiff-arm charge as Arkansas missed 12 straight shots and Teague hit a pair of 3-pointers to put it out of reach.
  — Kristen Davis, cleveland, 30 Mar. 2021
• The stiff but still flexible brush picks up every last bit of debris off the floor.
  — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 9 May 2022
• Dude, next time, take your complaint to the big cheese, not the poor working stiff who's outside waiting for a ride.
  — Barbara Hijek, Sun-Sentinel.com, 7 Sep. 2017
• Things like a viral spin move and stiff-arm against West Virginia hinted at things to come.
  — Dallas News, 21 Nov. 2022
• Correa has been nursing a stiff back since going on the disabled list June 26.
  — Matt Young, Houston Chronicle, 13 July 2018
• The right-wing Conservatives were the party of the middle class and the upper crust, while left-wing Labour was the party of the working stiffs.
  — Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 14 June 2017
• At one bruising point during the drive, Allen finished an eight-yard run with a brutal stiff-arm of Nick Scott.
  — Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2022
• Chandler Jones picked the pass and stiff-armed Mac Jones on his way to the end zone, giving the Raiders a win in improbable fashion.
  — Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2022
• For the Bulls, Lauri Markkanen is a gameday decision with a stiff back.
  — K.c. Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 17 Dec. 2017
• His stiff-arm on defensive back Jaire Alexander near the Packers 30 bought him at least 20 more yards.
  — Dan Wiederer, chicagotribune.com, 4 Dec. 2020
• Recently, though, a new crop of companies has emerged with the aim of helping working stiffs take their jobs on the road.
  — Elizabeth G. Dunn, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2018
• Notebook Catcher Jake Rogers is expected to miss two or three days with a stiff back. ...
  — Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press, 21 Feb. 2020
• Regardless of the test results, Yelich had trouble swinging due to his stiff back.
  — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 13 May 2022
• In winning the votes of working stiffs, Donald Trump employed the art of the con: Learn what the target wants; play on that desire; create...
  — seattletimes.com, 12 Sep. 2017
• After that score, Moore stood shell-shocked in front of her goal before slowly turning and trudging stiff-legged up the field.
  — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2022
• That certainly applies to her fighting style, a kind of stiff-limbed rapid zombie dance that leaves nothing in its wake.
  — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Jan. 2023

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stiff

4 of 4 verb

• These range in strength from soft and feathery to stiff.
  — Lizzy Briskin, Women's Health, 29 Mar. 2023
• Square to glimpse the paintings on the walls, their ancestors stiff in oils.
  — Hannah Aizenman, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2022
• That helped open a crease for Allen, who was able to stiff-arm a defender and bounce to the outside.
  — Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2021
• Whip the cream to stiff peaks using a stand mixer or hand mixer.
  — Katy Severson, chicagotribune.com, 19 Mar. 2021
• The state is accused of stiffing the school district and is being sued.
  — Stu Bykofsky, Philly.com, 12 Mar. 2018
• Once the custard is chilled, whip 1 cup of heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into the pastry cream to make a smooth and creamy filling.
  — Kristen Massad, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2021
• Boston’s Kevin McHale stiff armed him in the neck area, leaving Rambis flat on his back.
  — New York Times, 24 Dec. 2021
• Beat 1/2 cup cream to stiff peaks, and fold into pumpkin mixture.
  — Cheryl Slocum, Country Living, 24 Aug. 2021
• In May 2015, the mall evicted Boomtown for failing to pay rent and stiffing contractors who worked on the project.
  — Robert Anglen, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2017
• The Trump campaign could face legal troubles for stiffing the bill.
  — Erin Corbett, Fortune, 15 June 2019
• Kevin Vater had been stiffed by his new Russian employer.
  — Mark Davis, kansascity, 30 May 2018
• Otherwise, contractors could put a lien on the home – which would affect the new owner, not the flipper who stiffed them.
  — Jen A. Miller, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2017
• Falcons running back Terron Ward tries to stiff-arm free safety Earl Thomas.
  — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2017
• If they get stiffed, maybe the apartment can be one of the housing options for their colleagues, Torres-Ness said, if the party house next door turns down the volume.
  — Steve Lopezcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2020
• Rafool claims Martinez stiffed him on fees charged to represent Martinez in his long, drawn-out, nasty divorce.
  — By Jose Lambiet, miamiherald, 7 June 2017
• The only lawmaker who was stiffed didn’t vote to reelect Madigan as speaker.
  — Gregory Pratt, chicagotribune.com, 4 Oct. 2019
• Normally, the story should have ended there, with a poor man being stiffed by a more powerful one.
  — Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times, 1 July 2018
• That may progress to stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations and coma.
  — Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2022
• One of the creditors was a Chicago car dealership that claimed it was stiffed by a defunct direct-mail business that Bates ran.
  — Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Feb. 2018
• But their concerns were later verified when tickets went on sale and first-in-line-buyers called me to complain how they’d been stiffed, sold seats 20 rows back.
  — Jonathan Takiff, Philly.com, 3 May 2018
• And of course, that’s why two generations of peasants had given sticky rice and protection to people like Cung and stiffed and lied to people like us.
  — Jeff Stein, Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2017
• Hair stylists and barbers fared slightly better: Only 12 percent of those polled stiffed these workers.
  — Polly Mosendz, Bloomberg.com, 10 July 2017
• That was necessary when shoes had leather or vinyl elements that might stretch and stiff sole materials that needed to mold to your foot.
  — Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 8 July 2022
• Symptoms include headache, fever, nausea or vomiting and progresses to stiff neck, seizures and coma that can lead to death.
  — Gregory Yeestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2022
• Once they’re exhausted, the nation will need to borrow more money or stiff its lenders — and risk having its credit downgraded.
  — Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2023
• Some were completely stiffed, with no real recourse other than pursuing a lawsuit that likely would cost more than the amount they weren’t paid.
  — Diane Stafford, kansascity.com, 18 May 2017
• Like a drop in the pace of mechanic liens, the legal paperwork that contractors used when stiffed by a property owner for work performed.
  — Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register, 24 Apr. 2017
• When a recession hits, U.S. companies are more likely to stiff their lowest-wage workers.
  — Alexia FernÁndez Campbell and Joe Yerardi, Chron, 4 May 2021
• In another medium bowl, beat heavy cream to stiff peaks, then fold into mascarpone mixture.
  — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 13 Feb. 2022
• The student looking to go into nursing is less likely to stiff the taxpayer than the one looking to be a sociologist.
  — WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022

Last Updated: 5 Sep 2024