stifflyadverb
uk/ˈstɪf.li/us/ˈstɪf.li/stiffly adverb (FIRM)
straight and not bending:
The soldiers stood stiffly to attention.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Hard and firm
- (as) stiff/straight as a ramrod idiom
- adamantine
- cast iron
- congeal
- crisp
- crispy
- crunchy
- fossilized
- hard
- harden
- horny
- ossification
- ossify
- petrified
- ramrod
- solid
- stiff
- stiffness
- temper
- unyielding
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stiffly adverb (NOT RELAXED)
in a way that is too formal:
"I don't think that it's anything to do with you," he said stiffly.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Manners & levels of formality
- buttoned-down
- ceremonial
- ceremonious
- ceremony
- decency
- formal
- formally
- genteel
- gentility
- grace
- ground rules
- impropriety
- not the done thing idiom
- propriety
- pukka
- refinement
- solemnity
- stand on ceremony idiom
- stiff
- valediction
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stiffly adverb (SEVERE)
UK severely:
I wrote a stiffly worded letter of complaint to the council.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Severe
- an iron hand/fist in a velvet glove idiom
- austere
- authoritarian
- be heavy on sb idiom
- disciplinarian
- flinty
- hard
- heavy
- iron
- pitiless
- rigour
- roundly
- rule sth with an iron hand/fist idiom
- severe
- sharp
- stern
- strict
- strictly
- strictness
- take a hard line on sb/sth idiom
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