stiffen
verb [I] (LESS RELAXED) /ˈstɪf.ən/Definition
› to become less relaxed and more formal: She stiffened when her former husband walked into the room.Tight and tightening
(Definition of stiffen verb (LESS RELAXED) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
Browse the Dictionary
Browse the Thesaurus
More Results for “stiffen”
SMART Thesaurus
Synonyms and related words:
- close-fitting adjective
- fast adverb, adjective
- serried adjective
- snug adjective
- stiffen verb (FIRM)
- strain verb (PRESSURE)
- taut adjective (TIGHT)
- tauten verb
- tense verb
- tension noun (STRETCH)
- tight adjective (UNCOMFORTABLE)
- tight adjective, adverb
- tighten sth up phrasal verb
- tighten verb
- tightly adverb
- up adverb (TIGHTLY)
- vice-like adjective
Topic:
Tight and tightening
Word of the Day
be under a cloud
to not be trusted or popular because people think you have done something bad
Blog
Read our blog about how the English language behaves.
New Words
Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.
