firmly

adverb

Definition of firmlynext
as in strongly
in a vigorous and forceful manner stomped his feet firmly to get the snow off his boots

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 firmly All your living room furniture should sit firmly on the rug (in a bedroom, nightstands are the exception). — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026 Using your hands, firmly press ends down toward platter to split potatoes open. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 Burberry in the 21st century Christopher Bailey succeeded Menichetti as design director in 2001, building on his predecessor’s modernization of Burberry but rooting the brand more firmly in its British heritage. — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026 The Neue Klasse makeover brings it firmly into the digital age, but BMW hasn't thrown out the old recipe just yet. — New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 At a time when many hotels follow the same few stylistic plays—neutral and mid-century, or perhaps OTT and designed for the internet—the Balmoral feels like a tale as old as time, set firmly in Scotland. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Now, 64 years later, bassist, keyboardist, and singer-songwriter Paul McCartney is firmly one of the most celebrated musicians in the world. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 The move still leaves Under Armour founder and chief executive officer Kevin Plank firmly in control of the business. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026 Seal the overlapping edges with a little water, pressing firmly. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firmly
  1. strongly
  2. vigorously
  3. forcibly
  4. hard
  5. vehemently
  6. fiercely
Adverb
  • Mathematicians strongly suspect that there is a genuinely knotty loop that also has a Jones polynomial 1.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Strip away these one-time charges, and its underlying business accelerated strongly.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Flock stands by the accuracy and integrity of its technology and intends to vigorously defend itself in this litigation.
    — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Whisk vigorously until the mixture turns pale and thick like wet sand, 2 to 3 minutes -- this is the espumita base.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of vigorously
Adverb
  • Almost 260 million people need assistance, including over 118 million forcibly displaced — a grim world record — while governments retreat from funding the response.
    — Jeannie Annan, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Some 70,000 of its citizens forcibly crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, on the tip of North Africa.
    — Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of forcibly
Adverb
  • And as direct as the ad is (more on it in a moment), the film goes even harder.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Beshear has also campaigned and advertised hard for Democratic candidate Zach Dembo, who is taking on GOP candidate Ralph Alvarado in the open 6th District seat around Lexington.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of hard
Adverb
  • But the more important takeaway is that experts disagree vehemently on each.
    — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • People knew him as the guy who vehemently opposed NAFTA, who showed up on picket lines, who only wore suits made in Ohio.
    — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of vehemently
Adverb
  • The backlash was swift, and pro-Israel groups fiercely criticized Macklemore, and he was later removed from the rest of Sheeran’s stadium tour.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Carrie follows misfit high‑schooler Carrie White (Howell) after having spent her life hidden away inside the walls of her home with her fiercely protective mother, Margaret (Samantha Sloyan).
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of fiercely

Browse Nearby Words

firming (up)
firmly
firmness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Firmly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firmly. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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