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 The unique contraption leverages air pressure changes to stretch the neck while relaxing your entire upper body with its three heat settings and stiffness-eliminating, dual-wavelength red light therapy. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026 The usual symptoms include high fever, headache, stiffness and an overall feeling that resembles the flu. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026 Not just making a pair of cleats to fit Sullivan’s feet, but designing one with the optimal stiffness and even stud shape for his game. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 Masks target the face, flexible panels cover larger areas like the back and chest, and belts and wraps flex around joints for stiffness and muscle pain. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026 Belts and wraps hug the back, knee or shoulder and have become a go-to for joint stiffness and muscle pain. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026 Dubbed the Brooke, this style moved away from the stiffness of the ’70s to make way for a more natural and fresh look. — María Diez, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2026 The disease is marked by symptoms including tremor, stiffness, slow movement, gait and balance problems. — Deborah Day, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026 There were times when Sale would wake up in the morning and not be able to fully turn his head to one side or the other because of neck stiffness. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffness
  1. indifference
  2. unconcern
  3. deadness
  4. hardness
  5. aloofness
  6. coldness
Noun
  • Any choice for or against the work, including the choice of no-choice—of indifference or disregard—confronts the question of authenticity.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Related Stories Colin Jost also appears as himself, reading his own children’s book to the Springfield Elementary audience, much to their indifference.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 Sep. 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
  • Being silent with the chatbot did not feel like an invitation to being together, but rather like a kind of deadness.
    — Steven Barrie-Anthony, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Our director Wayne and I were just really interested in creating very visceral spaces, showing the deadness in the world.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of deadness
Noun
  • There’s a certain softness to Peter’s eyes and a hardness in Telemachus’s brow.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Heating the alloy to 750°C (1,382°F) reduced its grain size by roughly 90%, while raising its hardness by 60 Vickers units.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 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 house was a metaphor for the coldness of a relationship that’s faded and atrophied.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The danger occurs if that ruthlessness veers into institutional coldness.
    — James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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