stiff posture
Unbending body alignment
A stiff posture is a rigid, upright way of holding the body, often conveying formality, tension, or discomfort.
Someone with a stiff posture may appear nervous, defensive, or overly formal: He sat with a stiff posture throughout the interview.
The phrase contrasts with relaxed or natural body language.
- rigidUnable to bend
- tenseStrained or nervous
- uprightVertical or morally sound
- ramrodGun-cleaning rod
- standing at attentionFormal upright military stance
formal · military · frozen · deer in headlights · awkward · wooden · body language · spine · shoulders · tight · uncomfortable · nervous · straight · inflexible · soldier · attention · braced · locked
- animal signalsbody language, bird songs, tail wagging, mating calls, whale song
- pet behaviortail wagging, purring, kneading, growling, hissing
- presentation mistakesstage fright, nervousness, forgetting lines, rushing, mumbling
- brush-offsbrush off, brush-off, cold shoulder, ignore, snub
muscle tension and rigidity
stiff posturerelaxed posture
Unstrained body positioning
slouch · slouching · relaxed stance · loose-limbed · floppy
stiff, posture, stiffen, stiffness, stiffly, stiffer, stiffest, stiffened, stiffening