HARD › hard and difficult to bend: stiff material
NOT MOVING › A door, drawer, etc that is stiff does not move as easily as it should.
HURTING › If a part of your body is stiff, it hurts and is difficult to move: I've got a stiff neck.
SEVERE › very severe or difficult: stiff competition/opposition We need stiffer penalties for drink driving.
FORMAL › behaving in a way that is formal and not relaxed
THICK › A stiff substance is thick and does not move around easily: Whip the cream until it is stiff.
stiff drink/whisky/vodka, etc › a strong alcoholic drink: I need a stiff brandy.
stiff wind/breeze › a wind that is quite strong
stiffly adverb stiffness noun [U]