firmed (up)

verb

past tense of firm (up)
as in hardened
to become physically firm or solid wait for the modeling clay to firm up before handling the finished pot

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for firmed (up)
  1. hardened
  2. froze
  3. stiffened
Verb
  • Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is facing a tight contest for a Senate seat, also hardened his stance against data centers recently.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The rare trip by CIA chief John Ratcliffe failed to persuade Putin to stop the war and may have hardened the Russian’s leaders resolve to seek military victory.
    — Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of hardened
Verb
  • McCullum, a mother of three, froze and was fatally struck, according to the train service supervisor’s account in the report.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, the Department of Education froze more than $250 million in federal funds to HSIs last fall.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of froze
Verb
  • Bile rose in Evie’s throat and her body stiffened under his touch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The possible move, unthinkable for legacy studios but in keeping with exits by businesses in other sectors, has only stiffened opposition to the merger in some corners.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of stiffened
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.

Browse Nearby Words

firmaments
firmed (up)
firming (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Firmed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firmed%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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