FIRMING (UP) Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

firming (up)

verb

Definition of firming (up)

present participle of firm (up)

as in freezing

to become physically firm or solid wait for the modeling clay to firm up before handling the finished pot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for firming (up)

Verb

The city has proposed about $6 million in public incentives for the Novelist project, which would include loaning developers $4 million up front, along with freezing the property taxes on the hotel for its first 10 years.

— Ilana Arougheti July 14, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
There is no shortage of policy proposals for reducing college costs, ranging from freezing tuition to canceling student debt.

— Thomas Adam, Fortune, 13 July 2026

Definition of freezing

Verb

An aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition involving a tear in the main artery from the heart, due in this case to what is commonly known as hardening of the arteries.

— Duarte Dias, CBS News, 12 July 2026
Over time, this prevents excessive soap scum and residue from hardening on the surface.

— Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026

Definition of hardening

Verb

Major media companies operating traditional linear networks have been under pressure in recent years amid stiffening competition from large tech rivals as programming migrates to streaming.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Volkswagen’s premium Audi brand has lost much of its luster in recent years, dragged down by trade tariffs, stiffening competition and a patchy electric-vehicle roster.

— William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 8 June 2026

Definition of stiffening

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

firmed (up)

firming (up)

firmly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Firming (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firming%20%28up%29. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of firming (up)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

bibelot

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes