stiffen

This approach enabled us to create a material that can bend, buckle, or stiffen differently under slow movements versus sudden impacts -- without electronics, sensors, or active control.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026

“It probably would stiffen their spine,” said Brian Latell, a former CIA analyst who wrote a biography of Castro and his older brother Fidel Castro.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

As these weaken and stiffen over time it can affect walking, talking, eating and breathing.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

She has also vowed to stiffen prison sentences and to impose a state of emergency in areas worst hit by crime.

From Barron's ● Feb. 1, 2026

Longstreet watched the old man clear his face and stiffen his back and place the hat carefully, formally on his head.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

The biggest reason is that our maximum heart rate slows with age, and the heart muscle stiffens, reducing its pumping effectiveness.

From Barron's ● May 23, 2026

This arrangement stiffens the chain of bones and allows it to transmit very high-pitched sounds more efficiently, a characteristic often seen in animals such as echolocating bats that can detect ultrasound.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026

Last year, Alibaba announced a plan to fold food-delivery and online-travel services into its e-commerce unit as competition stiffens in the Chinese market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026

It's not just in majors that Scheffler's resolve stiffens on a Sunday.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2025

Her grip on my knee stiffens and her mouth freezes into a thin line.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Refusing to form such a coalition, even if it meant giving up a sure route to the prime ministry, would have stiffened this view.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026

The Romans, their ranks stiffened by Genoese and Venetian troops, did their best to resist.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Others argued the particles stiffened the surrounding material like glue.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2026

They reckon it may have stiffened the resolve of the German public and discouraged rebels within the dying Nazi regime.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 12, 2026

Throughout Fernlight Forest, animals stiffened, looked toward Deadwood, and thought, Hesterfowl’s premonition is coming to pass.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Softening rather than stiffening when moving through space requires embracing your body’s natural sway and tiny micro-movements, like an ankle wobbling or knee jiggling.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

It’s hard to imagine a greater accomplishment than to achieve peace while stiffening the sinews of deterrence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026

These findings further support the idea that chronic inflammation drives tissue stiffening.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 24, 2026

No wonder OpenAI’s Sam Altman issued a “code red” alert to employees urging them to step up the pace of chatbot development in the face of stiffening competition from the likes of Google’s Gemini.

From Barron's ● Dec. 3, 2025

Mia’s back was still to them, the water rushing over her hands, but all four of the children saw it: a slight stiffening of her posture, as if a string had been tightened.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng