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stiffener

[ stif-uh-ner, stif-ner ]

/ ˈstɪf ə nər, ˈstɪf nər /

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See synonyms for stiffener on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing that stiffens.

any substance, as starch or buckram, that serves to stiffen fabric.

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Origin of stiffener

First recorded in 1690–1700; stiffen + -er¹

Words nearby stiffener

Stieglitz, stiff, stiff-arm, stiff as a board, stiffen, stiffener, stiff-man syndrome, stiff-necked, stiffness, stiff upper lip, stiffy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use stiffener in a sentence

I say, Lane, fetch me a nobbler of brandy; a stiffener, mind.
The Book of the Bush|George Dunderdale
Lane fetched the stiffener in a soda-water bottle, and it cleared the legal atmosphere.
The Book of the Bush|George Dunderdale
The bridle or drawing point of the sledge is formed of hide, and is secured to the beak or stiffener.
Shifts and Expedients of Camp Life, Travel & Exploration|W. B. Lord
Why should a speculator use a high stiffener for his cravat?
How to Solve Conundrums|Anonymous

We use the carbon stiffener on a pre-cut round of canvas or denim, then fit a standard tire.
Makers|Cory Doctorow