stiffening
Losing its flexibility
Stiffening is the process of becoming or making something rigid.
A material used to add rigidity is also a stiffening: The collar needs stiffening.
The word often describes physical changes—muscles stiffening with tension, joints stiffening with age—but extends to attitudes and resistance: a stiffening of resolve, stiffening opposition to the proposal.
Becoming rigid or fixed
- settingContext of events
- curingRestoring health or preserving
- congealingThickening into solid
- coagulatingSolidifying from liquid state
thickening · jelling · gelling · crystallizing · vulcanizing · tempering · annealing · calcifying
Increasing power or solidity
- bracingRefreshingly keen or stimulating
- buttressingSupporting from the side
- bolsteringStrengthening or supporting
- supportingBearing or sustaining
fortifying · stabilizing · shoring · propping · toughening · starching · sizing · backing
Making less loose
- strainingExerting intense effort
- clenchingSqueezing tightly shut
- bracingRefreshingly keen or stimulating
- flexingContracting muscles voluntarily
contracting · tautening · firming · locking · seizing · cramping · spasming · gripping
Active resistance or dissent
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- resolveFirmness of purpose
- determinationFirmness of purpose
- stubbornnessRefusal to yield
obstinacy · inflexibility · intransigence · hardening · digging in · doubling down · entrenchment · unwillingness
Stretched or strained state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- uneaseMild persistent worry
worry · stress · edginess · guardedness · wariness · resistance · coldness · formality
solidifying
Becoming rigid or fixed
- settingContext of events
- curingRestoring health or preserving
- congealingThickening into solid
coagulating · thickening · jelling · gelling · crystallizing · vulcanizing · tempering · annealing · calcifying · ossifying
strengthening
Increasing power or solidity
- bracingRefreshingly keen or stimulating
- buttressingSupporting from the side
- bolsteringStrengthening or supporting
supporting · fortifying · stabilizing · shoring · propping · toughening · starching · sizing · backing · lining
tightening
Making less loose
- strainingExerting intense effort
- clenchingSqueezing tightly shut
- bracingRefreshingly keen or stimulating
flexing · contracting · tautening · firming · locking · seizing · cramping · spasming · gripping
opposition
Active resistance or dissent
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- resolveFirmness of purpose
- determinationFirmness of purpose
stubbornness · obstinacy · inflexibility · intransigence · hardening · digging in · doubling down · entrenchment · unwillingness · refusal
tension
Stretched or strained state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
unease · worry · stress · edginess · guardedness · wariness · resistance · coldness · formality · reserve
- Deteriorationdecay, rot, degradation, deterioration, corrosion
- fidgetingfidgeting, fidget, tapping, fiddle, finger tapping
- tighteningtensing, clamping, cinching, tensioning, grip
- hardeninghardening, solidification, solidifying, rigidifying, setting
- seizuresseizure, epileptic, convulsion, fit, attack
- stabilizersgimbal, tripod, ballast, counterbalance, camera stabilizer
stiffeningrelaxing
Becoming less tense
loosening · unwinding · easing · unclenching · releasing
stiffeningweakening
Becoming less strong
softening · sagging · collapsing · buckling · giving way
- stiffening upBecoming less flexible
stiff, stiffen, stiffness, stiffened, stiffly, stiffens, stiffer, stiffs, unstiffened