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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firming (up)
Verb
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Parts of the East Coast, including New York, Philadelphia, and Atlantic City, will briefly climb above freezing later today.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026 -
The season typically runs from December to March, with the high alpine lakes freezing earlier in some years.—
Robert Annis,
Outside,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Look out for the dark forms of Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis darkening the sunlit wedge of Earth's satellite, which formed when ancient lava flows flooded networks of impact craters before hardening many millions of years ago.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Florida lawmakers are assigning no new money this year for My Safe Florida Home, the popular home-hardening program that awards $10,000 grants to help Floridians upgrade their windows and doors.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The machine dryer agitates the clothing and prevents fibers from stiffening during drying, which is why clothing comes out feeling soft.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
23 Feb. 2026
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The Czech Republic’s new government will seek to transform the defense industry into an engine of the nation’s export economy as the flagship auto sector faces stiffening competition, Karel Havlicek, minister for industry and trade, told us.—
Suzanne Lynch,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Firming (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firming%20%28up%29. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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