stiff
Pronunciation: [stɪf]
Context: “physical state”
(adjective) when something is hard to bend or move. If someone is stiff, their body is tight and they have trouble moving easily, like after exercising a lot.
Example
After a good night's sleep, I felt less stiff and was able to move more freely.
Example
Yesterday, I was so stiff from the long car ride that I could hardly walk.
Example
Do you feel stiff after your workout?
Context: “behavior”
(adjective) when someone is not friendly or very formal. If a person is stiff, they may seem serious and not very comfortable in social situations.
Example
At the party, she was a bit stiff at first but then started to relax and enjoy herself.
Example
He was so stiff during the dinner that it was hard to have fun talking with him.
Example
Why do you think he seemed so stiff at the gathering?
Context: “material quality”
(adjective) when something is firm and not soft. For example, stiff fabric holds its shape well and doesn't flow easily.
Example
The new curtains are blue and made of stiff material that helps them stay up nicely.
Example
I prefer softer shirts, not stiff ones that feel uncomfortable against my skin.
Example
Is this fabric stiff, or is it soft and flexible?
Context: “death”
(noun) an informal term used to refer to a dead body. It's often used in a more serious or even humorous way.
Example
The old story says that the stiff in the movie was actually played by a famous actor.
Example
They didn’t find the stiff until days later, which was very sad.
Example
What happens to the stiff in the end of the story?