as in to strengthen
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
plans to further stiffen the already onerous requirements for admission to the elite military unit
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Recent Examples of stiffen
In November, Proposition 36 passed, stiffening penalties for theft offenses.
—
George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Determined to protect what’s left of the fleet, the Russian navy stiffened the defenses around naval bases in Crimea and southern Russia.
—David Axe, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
The war has still fostered greater patriotism among Ukrainians, stiffened their resolve to fight for their freedom, and deepened their desire to escape Russia’s orbit and become a secure and prosperous country within the EU.
—Anton Grushetskyi, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
Those stocks suffered in recent months as the Biden administration moved to restrict payments, stiffening rules that limit reimbursement.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stiffen 
George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Determined to protect what’s left of the fleet, the Russian navy stiffened the defenses around naval bases in Crimea and southern Russia.
—David Axe, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
The war has still fostered greater patriotism among Ukrainians, stiffened their resolve to fight for their freedom, and deepened their desire to escape Russia’s orbit and become a secure and prosperous country within the EU.
—Anton Grushetskyi, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
Those stocks suffered in recent months as the Biden administration moved to restrict payments, stiffening rules that limit reimbursement.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stiffen
Thesaurus Entries Near stiffen
Cite this Entry
“Stiffen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffen. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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