stiffen

C1 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /ˈstɪfən/ See IPA manual

verb Freq #46098

Meanings

1

verb
To become stiff, hard, or tense.

She stiffened with fear when she heard footsteps.
2

verb
To make something stiff or firmer.

They stiffened the collar with a layer of plastic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

starken

Word family

Forms stiffenedstiffeningstiffens

Derived forms nonstiffenednonstiffeningrestiffenstiffenerunstiffenunstiffened

Related forms stiff

Etymology

From Middle English stifnen, equivalent to stiff + -en.

stifnen Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

# stiffen

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ˈstɪfən
**Frequency rank:** 46098

## Meanings
1. To become stiff, hard, or tense.
2. To make something stiff or firmer.

## Examples
- She stiffened with fear when she heard footsteps.
- They stiffened the collar with a layer of plastic.

## Synonyms
- starken

## Derived Forms
- nonstiffened
- nonstiffening
- restiffen
- stiffener
- unstiffen
- unstiffened

## Related Forms
- stiff

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: stifnen

## Etymology
From Middle English stifnen, equivalent to stiff + -en.

## AI Etymology
Stiffen is from Middle English stifnen, equivalent to stiff + -en. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean to become stiff, hard, or tense, or to make something stiff or firmer. Related forms include stiff. Derived formations include nonstiffened, nonstiffening, restiffen, stiffener, unstiffen.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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