| noun | the physical property of being inflexible and hard to bend |
| noun | the property of moving with pain or difficulty “he awoke with a painful stiffness in his neck” |
| noun | firm resoluteness in purpose or opinion or action “a charming host without any touch of stiffness or pomposity” |
| noun | the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed (as by embarrassment) |
| noun | excessive sternness “severity of character” |
| stiff | adjective | incapable of or resistant to bending |
| awkward | adjective | socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner |
| clumsy | adjective | not elegant or graceful in expression |
| graceless | adjective | lacking social polish |
| severe | adjective | unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; - H.G.Wells |
| harsh | adjective | unpleasantly stern |
| rigorous | adjective | demanding strict attention to rules and procedures |
| inclement | adjective | used of persons or behavior; showing no clemency or mercy |
| hard | adjective | unfortunate or hard to bear |