stiff-necked

adjective

ˈstif-ˈnekt How to pronounce stiff-necked (audio)
Definition of stiff-neckednext
1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude he was too stiff-necked to admit that "underlings" might have useful ideas

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details her dinner parties are typically stiff-necked affairs, more to be endured than enjoyed

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3
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion obviously uninterested in hearing any excuses, the stiff-necked officer handed me my speeding ticket with a flourish

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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-necked But some Jews stubbornly refused to assimilate and continued the sometimes strange and stiff-necked traditions of our people. — TIME, 11 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff-necked
  1. arrogant
  2. formal
  3. stubborn
  4. correct
  5. adamant
  6. stiff
  7. nice
  8. solemn
Adjective
  • Elon Musk — Ike Barinholtz has Musk wandering in from another movie, or dimension, a ramble-y, arrogant but ultimately comically non-threatening figure.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The loud-mouthed cameos from ex-soccer players Zlatan Ibrahimović and Eric Cantona in Nike’s World Cup hero film Rip the Script were indicative of this, chiming with an older, more arrogant vision of Nike seen in the ’90s and the aughts.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • The president may reveal Clayton's appointment as soon as Friday, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity before a formal announcement.
    — Jeff Masonand Michael Shepard Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The very fact that this has now been given a formal college inside the PLA’s Army Engineering University is telling, however.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • The recent rise in yields reflects concerns about stubborn inflation and hawkish central bank commentary, fueling expectations that interest rates could remain elevated for longer.
    — Sarah Min,Davis Giangiulio,Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Even so, scaling up could force Google and SpaceX to confront some stubborn physics.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of stubborn
Adjective
  • Indeed, people who treat AGI seriously have been much more correct about the speed of AI advances than people who dismiss the concept.
    — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The first four-lens telescopes appeared around 1643, but if Madrid’s analysis is correct, this would mean the innovation occurred much earlier, in 1630 at the latest, and could be attributed to Galileo.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of correct
Adjective
  • So my thought process was to come in and early in the day float her name subtly, and not be too adamant about it.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The Grammy winner was adamant in his Tuesday statement that he wouldn’t be drawn into discussion of the war in Gaza, arguing that his fans don’t come to his shows to hear about these issues.
    — Tassanee Vejpongsa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of adamant
Adjective
  • However, further Houthi offensives have met stiffer resistance from the recuperated forces of the Presidential Leadership Council, depriving the group of another quick victory.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Everywhere are cosseting details like stiffer mounting bushes and extra damping bars.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of stiff
Adjective
  • The woman and her children lived in the nice part of the house and the foster girls — three to five at a time — ate dinner separately in the basement.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In an era where millions of recipes are made for content consumption as much as actual consumption, traveling back in time for someone’s beloved 1970 banana bread recipe sounds pretty nice.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of nice
Adjective
  • This production, solemn about our obligations to one another but committed to providing a good night out at the theater, is neither.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Zack Wheeler pitched a gem against Tampa Bay on Sunday and untangled a few thousand knots inside the stomachs of Phillies fans, and even from those inside a mostly solemn clubhouse.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of solemn

Browse Nearby Words

stiffly
stiff-necked
stiffness
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Cite this Entry

“Stiff-necked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff-necked. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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