stiffness

noun

Definition of stiffnessnext
as in indifference

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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 stiffness While passengers often remain seated for hours at a time, crew spend the majority of the flight on their feet, which decreases their chances of stiffness. — Sophia Dyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026 Rookie third-round pick Jakobe Thomas hasn’t practiced extensively in recent weeks with back stiffness. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 As long hours spent in the same position can contribute to poor posture, stiffness and other physical issues, experts say regular movement and stretching can help prevent joint pain and muscle weakness. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026 After a couple of days of stiffness, the owner said Carl was back to normal. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026 Stiff-person syndrome’s most common symptoms include muscle stiffness and painful spasms that can lead to secondary effects, like unsteady gait, double vision, and slurred speech, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026 That double-helix structure is the secret to the tusk’s remarkable stiffness and strength, with the flexible fibers and stiff mineral matrix enabling the tusk to withstand strong forces, like bending and twisting without cracking. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 In December 2022, Dion announced she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can cause muscle stiffness and painful spasms. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 The National Cancer Institute (NCI) lists lasting pain or discomfort, along with arm and shoulder pain and stiffness, among the possible risks of mastectomy. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffness
  1. indifference
  2. unconcern
  3. deadness
  4. hardness
  5. aloofness
  6. coldness
Noun
  • Kaepernick jolted the sports world from a state of indifference.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Institutional indifference and erasure Fast forward to today, and that defensive posture has hardened into absolute institutional erasure.
    — Kimmie Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of indifference
Noun
  • The book’s occasional oases of self-examination are surrounded by dusty expanses of omission and unconcern.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
  • Whatever the reason, Maxwell’s strength and the shark’s apparent unconcern put one of Maxwell’s friends in danger.
    — Donald Millus, Outdoor Life, 3 July 2025
Definition of unconcern
Noun
  • Did the baby’s livingness make Tomm’s deadness louder?
    — Maria Zorn, Longreads, 24 Feb. 2026
  • There is, in the end, a deadness to its clichés about writers and their subjects.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Definition of deadness
Noun
  • The differentiator between the three is the hardness of the brush.
    — Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The best rocks are hard, non-porous rocks with a non-gritty surface, ideally a seven on the Mohs’ hardness scale.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hardness
Noun
  • What the rise of 'chalance' says about dating People have equated aloofness with coolness since long before the internet came around.
    — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 29 June 2026
  • My fear manifested as aloofness.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
Definition of aloofness
Noun
  • The danger occurs if that ruthlessness veers into institutional coldness.
    — James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The music recalled the angst and coldness of Carpenter’s movie scores but with more robust arrangements, buttressed by Davies’ guitar.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of coldness

Browse Nearby Words

stiff-necked
stiffness
stiffs
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Cite this Entry

“Stiffness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffness. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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