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 air was freezing, and the town was bathed in the crisp Arctic light of a late-winter sun.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026 -
A little over a month later, another spell of freezing weather bullied its way into Central Florida and slammed the remaining citrus groves that had just started to recover.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Beyond hardening technical defenses, companies operating in the AI age need to examine a wide range of practices, say industry experts, updating the way software patches are deployed and rebuilding the human layer of security.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
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This will keep gloves from hardening and extend their life.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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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 19 Jun. 2026.
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