stiff-necked

1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude he was too stiff-necked to admit that "underlings" might have useful ideas

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stiff-necked But some Jews stubbornly refused to assimilate and continued the sometimes strange and stiff-necked traditions of our people. TIME, 11 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiff-necked
Adjective
  • The Inside Llewyn Davis star plays Victor Frankenstein, the arrogant scientist who successfully creates life out of an assemblage of deceased body parts.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2025
  • An arrogant advertiser at the peak of success is forced to promote a tycoon as a presidential candidate, while a mysterious stalker threatens to destroy his agency and his reputation.
    Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Switzerland and Serbia are willing to host this, but the Kremlin is waiting until after the Republican's inauguration before formal plans can take place.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Trump said Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance urged him to keep the controversial topics out of his formal inaugural address.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Coaches will tell you of a character who could be grumpy or stubborn, but also of someone who needed faith shown in him.
    The Athletic UK Staff, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Thanks to its impressive staying power, this eyeliner can be a bit stubborn to remove.
    Siena Gagliano, Allure, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • If the bookmakers are correct, Makhachev will end 2025 with the UFC title in his hands.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • His administration's efforts to characterize inflation as 'temporary' or 'transitory' in 2021 may have been technically correct, in the sense that the rate of inflation has come down from its heights following the pandemic.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Such a lineup is unknown territory for the festival, but Blanc was adamant not to deviate from the carte blanche principle for selections.
    Lily Templeton, WWD, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Rocky has been adamant in declaring his innocence, refusing what many considered a decent plea deal before the trial got underway.
    Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • On Tuesday, the deputy attorney general in the Justice Department issued a memo requiring federal prosecutors to pursue stiffer charges and sentences against a variety of criminal suspects.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2025
  • The team discovered that the stiff tissue of a cownose ray’s tail was pockmarked with holes.
    Jack Tamisiea, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • There are nice details throughout like a walk-in closet in the primary and built-in custom bookshelves in the living room.
    Clio Chang, Curbed, 28 Jan. 2025
  • The tip is $21,000, which is nice but not amazing, especially given all the dietary restrictions.
    Emma Soren, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Standing in front of the CIA Memorial Wall—the agency’s most important and solemn location—Trump offered remarks that resembled a campaign event, rambling from one random topic to another, including how big the crowds were at his inauguration.
    Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Seated beside the President-elect, who donned a dark suit and royal blue tie, Melania Trump appeared noticeably solemn.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near stiff-necked

Cite this Entry

“Stiff-necked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiff-necked. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

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