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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The Chancellor Gordon Brown reacted by cutting duty on ultra-low sulphur petrol, freezing duty on other grades of motor fuel, putting more vehicles into the lowest vehicle excise duty band — a tax cut for most lorries — and taxing foreign truckers using British roads.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026 -
Wet or snowy roads may remain slick as temperatures fall below freezing everywhere.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But before transplanting, your plants will need time to adjust—this process is called hardening off.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
11 Mar. 2026
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Start hardening off plants one week before transplanting out into the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 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 22 Mar. 2026.
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